


Broken Beacon

by TheBrokenSword



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Bad Parenting, Depressed Stiles, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Making Love, Mental Health Issues, Pseudo-Incest, Rich Derek, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Step-Sibling Incest, Stiles Stilinski Has Scars, Triggers, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-05-25 21:41:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14986196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBrokenSword/pseuds/TheBrokenSword
Summary: Everyone knew who the Hale brothers were. Tough. Rich. Hot. Those were just some of the words that many have used to describe Derek and Jordan Hale. Not that he cared, but of course Stiles knew who they were.Coming home, Stiles found his whole life packed up in boxes, his Mom telling him she was leaving his Dad and that they were moving in with her new boyfriend, moving into Robert Hale's house. Stiles now has to live with the Hale brothers.





	1. Chapter One

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**  
  
  


 

 

 

It was Friday night . . . well Saturday morning, as midnight passed two hours ago. Drunken laughs come from both behind me and beside me. I let out a sigh, that went unheard over my half brother's, Scott, his girlfriend's, Kira, and my best friend, Lydia's laughter.

     Pulling into the gas station just as my Jeep was about near empty. Coming forward and wrapping her arms around the passenger seat, around Scott, Kira looks at me as I pull my Jeep to a stop.

     "Can be please goto another party. I know one that's happening right now!" Kira drunkly exclaims, though her sentence was more broken.

     "No." I say, unbuckling my seatbelt and pushing open my door, minding the chipping blue paint. I don't care if my Jeep was ancient and struggling to stay alive I wasn't going to get rid of her. Lydia, who wasn't as drunk as Kira and Scott, helped Kira get out of my Jeep by letting her lean into her. When Kira stopped her tumbling she left Lydia's side and went for Scott's.

     "Why not? It's our last weekend before we have to go back to school. Come on, Stiles!" Kira starts again. "It'll be fun! The party I know about. It's being thrown by Beacon Hills High kids. You know they're more crazy than Devenford parties!"

     "I'm taking you guys home. You're too drunk . . . Help me out, Scotty?" In try to plead to my brother. Hoping he'd help with his drunk girlfriend. I was wrong . . .

     "What's with you tonight?" Scott asks instead of helping me.

     "Nothing." I instantly respond.

     "Nah, there is somethin' up. Lyds, you can see it right?" Scott turns his head towards Lydia, Kira follows in suit.

     "Did you and Theo have another fight?" Lydia's eyebrows draw in together.

     "What'd he do now?" Scott jerks his head back to me. His big brother voice now in place - big brother by only ten months. "Do I need to sort him out? I know I could take him."

     Letting out another sigh, for the umpteenth time tonight, I say to all of them, in the most polite way possible. "Fuck off." With a smile to match it.

     Thankfully they get the hint and take off. Scott and Kira walk off, with his arm wrapped around her shoulders, while Lydia retreats back inside the back of my Jeep, phone to her ear. Who she was ringing this early in the morning - only God knows.

     As I leant up against the side of my Jeep, as the gas guzzled into my car, Kira and Lydia's question echoing in my mind. They weren't wrong. There was something wrong. Not only with Theo, but coming home to find my stuff packed in boxes and my Mom telling me that she was leaving Dad and that we were moving in with Robert Hale. I knew my Mom had cheated on Scott's Dad with my Dad and left Rafael for my Dad . . . I just didn't think she'd do it again. Especially not with Robert Hale.

     Everyone knew who The Hale's were. Well everyone knew Derek and Jordan Hale. Extremely wealthy; their father owned half, if not all, of Beacon County. The very few Beacon Hills High parties I've been to, they would always be brought up. Jordan, I had seen a few times. Tall. Brown hair. Broad shouldered. Green eyes. Undoubtably good looking. And had a line a football field long of girls who want or who have already slept with him.

     Scott would know eventually where I would be living soon. But I wanted to keep it quiet. If everyone knew my soon to be stepbrothers will be the Hale brothers, so many would hang of me; use me to get to them. Not like I wanted to be their stepbrothers . . . or even know them.

     Theo . . . He was an asshole. There were no other words for him. Tonight he wanted me just for him. On my knees in various positions. With the recent news I didn't feel like being his personal toy. Understandable right? But Theo didn't see that. I didn't tell him the reason though, I couldn't. "Fine. Whatever then. I'll go find someone better. You're not the only hot hole here." Theo would be back. Whenever he would say things like this, he'd call the next night apologising. But I wasn't sure if I cared anymore.

     Too busy in my own world of overthinking nightmare, I don't notice as the black Camero pulls up in the slot beside mine. But a loud shout broke me free, snapping my attention back to reality.

     Looking over towards the voice, I feel as my lungs draw in a sharp breath.

     My hands clench the gas nozzle tightly and bring it away from my car. But as he steps out and away from the car I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

     "I don't know, bro, I just love them." Jordan speaks to the guy who hops out of the backseat. "I just - ah. Green eyes, pale skin, curvy body, red hair. They're just perfect!"

     "Yeah, you have a fetish, man." The guy that came from the backseat said. Clapping Jordan on the shoulder.

     This had been the closest I had been to the Hale brothers in a long time. But I had heard plenty about them. Because no one would shut up about them. Whenever they would throw a party at their mansion - a mansion I would soon be living in - it would be the talk of the school for hours, if not days. The girls that would talk (brag) about their time sleeping with Jordan Hale.

     Jordan was the same age as me, and how the girls would speak about him, how Kira - to Scott's annoyance - would say how "gorgeous" they were. I could see that. But as much as they speak about Jordan, the talk about Derek Hale was worse. They would talk about how, in their words, amazingly hot he was. How green his eyes were.

     I snort to myself. The Hale brothers were more important than royalty in Beacon Hills. It was ridiculous. I glance back over at the black Camero, towards Jordan. But, for the second time tonight, I feel the air leave my lungs. Two bright green eyes were staring at me. Like I had been, Derek stood there filling up his car . . . watching me.

     Swallowing deep, I couldn't look away. Like I was caught in a rip current I just couldn't escape from his stare.

     Jordan and the other guy then appear at his side, "Dude, check it out. Last two boxes of chocolate flavoured condoms." A wide smile was spread across his face as he handed a box towards his brother. "Sorry, Isaac. None for you." Jordan said to the other guy. Who wore a pout after the words.

     I shouldn't have been watching - I shouldn't be watching, but . . . fuck. I couldn't stop. But when Jordan turned his head towards where his brother was looking but his eyes never made contact with me. A smile spreading across his face. Looking at Lydia, who was still in the backseat. With my eyes still locked with Derek I see when his smirk start and grow on his face. That's when I knew that he knew who I was.

     That's when I remember my Mom, with everything I called mine packed in boxes, telling me she met someone else. That she was leaving my Dad, the man who had raised me - who had worked to make a good life for me and my Mom, for their father. Fuck them. Fuck their father.

     My Mom . . . okay, she wasn't a saint. I know she had cheated on Scott's Dad and married my Dad. But she'd with him for sixteen years. Did that not mean anything to her? Scott wouldn't even be in the same room with her alone because of what she did to his Dad. What did she expect when we moved in with her new boyfriend and his sons? That we'd be one big happy family? Fuck them all.

     I harden and narrow my eyes and turn away from him, opening the door and asking Lydia to come with me to pay. Even with my head a war zone, I saw how Jordan looked at her through the window. I wouldn't let her be one of the girls Jordan Hale used and threw away. Making out way in that's when we see Scott and Kira. Side by side, stumbling through the aisles.

     Walking back out, now in a group, we head back to the car. My eyes now starting to feel the weight of tiredness; my eyes focused on the paved floor. For numerous reasons. But when the squeal came from Kira it made my head jerk up towards her, and then to where she was staring.

     Derek walked and passed by me. The side of his black leather jacket brushing against me, he passed so close that if he moved an inch to the left he would've walked right into me. We both stared at each other as he passed. Fuck him.

     Turning my eyes away from him, though I could still feel his eyes on me, I head towards my Jeep. Ignoring the laughs and the voices coming from Jordan and then other guy I round the front of the car and pull open the door. But before I could take the seat behind the wheel -

     "Hey, there. What's your name, beautiful?" I turn my head around towards them, to see that Jordan had taken a step forward and was now facing Lydia. A flirtatious smirk growing on his face.

     "Um, Lydia."

     "Lydia." Jordan repeats her name. "Beautiful name for a very beautiful girl." Stretching out his arm so he could pick up Lydia's red hanging hair.

     "Lyds!" I say, earning her attention; an open mouthed expression of surprise. "Need to go." I say, hearing my own annoyance in my voice.

     "Right." Was all Lydia said before turning away from Jordan Hale and pulling open the car door, her cheeks burning red.

     Green eyes, so like his brothers, turned towards me. They start to narrow, like he was just recognising who I was, like how Derek had. But I don't give him a chance. I couldn't. I turn and jump into my car. Scott to my side and Kira in the back next to Lydia, who were both staring at different windows. Lydia to her left, where Jordan stood near the car he came in. While Kira looked to her right, where Derek was walking out; staring right through the windscreen at me.

     Bringing my baby to life, I ignore . . . my soon to be step brothers and take off. "Oh my God." I hear Kira exclaim, in a less drunken voice than before. "They are so hot."

     "What?" Scott exclaims, turning in his seat to face Kira.

     "Not as hot as you are, of course." Kira reassures Scott. "But holy Hell the Hale brothers are something else . . . can we goto that party now?"

     Thirty minutes later, with just me and Scott in the car; the rest already dropped off, I pull up to Scott's house.

     "Listen, Scott -" I start to tell him what my weekend would consist of: moving in with the Hales. But my sentence was stopped by Scott's.

     "I hate them."

     "Who?"

     "The Hale brothers!" Scott spat. Still slightly drunk. "They - they think they're so much better than everyone else. When they're not. They goto Beacon Hills High. We goto Devenford. We're better than them! Fuck them."

     "Goto sleep Scott. I'll see you on Monday." Scott stumbles out of the car; I sit and watch until I see him close the door behind him before I drive away. I couldn't of told him then . . .   
  


 

 

My weekend had been spent packing up my life and moving to the Hale mansion.

     I hated the place. Okay sure, the house was amazing. But it wasn't home. Home was the two story house that Dad would come home in his squad car. Was when Dad and I spent the day in front of the TV watching the game. Not in a place that made a grand hotel look like a cheap motel, with them . . .

     I wasn't exaggerating. For place to be surrounded by deep forest (the mansion had it's own property in the middle of Beacon Hills Reserve) it looked like something that belonged in Beverly Hills and not Beacon Hills. Stone pillars. Ten, yes I counted, windows facing the front alone. Two stories, though it looked bigger. When the moving company that Robert Hale had paid for had finished, Mom had introduced me to the man she'd left Dad for.

     He was tall, broad shouldered, with thick black stubble along his jaw. The same green eyes that both of his sons have. Mom had introduced me to them as well. Again, on his face, Derek stared and smirked at me. While Jordan wore the same smile I saw him have Friday night.

     "Claudia." Robert spoke to my Mom, standing close to her. "I have invited some friends out. We should get ready soon."

     My Mom who I have never once seen swirl or squeal did both with a bright smile, turning towards Robert Hale. "Oh, that sounds wonderful. I'm excited to meet some friends."

     "Chris and Victoria Argent. Chris owns various successful hunting stores and gun ranges and Victoria is a lawyer." Robert wraps his arm around my Moms waist and guides her out of the room.

     As they turned the corner, I could hear my Mom ask: "Do you think Victoria would want to have brunch sometime? I'd love to meet more of the girls."

     Brunch with the girls? Who was my Mom kidding? She wasn't exactly the country club type. I still remember the days when my Mom would cuddle up to Dad on the lounge, in ratty clothes, drinking beer. Now though, her dark hair was always worn down, long necklaces and long flowing dresses. Like she was trying to act the part of this life.

     Derek and Jordan still stood there, their eyes still on me. Ignoring them I walk up the marble stairs and down the hallway towards the room that was filled with boxes - well only one corner was filled with boxes.

     My new room . . . it was more an apartment than a bedroom. A bed too big for one person to sleep in, Hell, too big for three people to sleep in.

     Later that night, long after my Mom and Robert had left, I ventured out into this place. My stomach had begun to heavily protest for food.

     Walking the dim lit hallways, trying to find the kitchen, I don't find the kitchen. But what I did find was two voices in mid conversation. Against my better judgement I walk towards the opened doorframe and lean against it, listening to the voices.

     "Why are you obsessed with this one? There's a line about the size of Beacon Hills of chicks and guys who'll jump at the chance of getting into your jeans." Jordan speaks.

     "Why are you hell bent on the red head? And don't lie, Jordan. I can tell when you're lying." The sound of Derek not answering his brothers question, but asking one instead.

     No voices come again for a few moments, only the sound of someone flopping down onto a lounge. "She was just perfect, man. Planning to work my magic soon. That curvy beauty will be riding me very soon. Speaking of when was the last time you got laid?"

     "Friday night at Talbot's party. You know that. You and Isaac burst in halfway through wanting me to drive you both to gas station to buy condoms."

     A burst of laughter came from Jordan. "Isaac is still pissed about missing out on a box. But hey . . . if it wasn't for us barging in we wouldn't of met our soon to be brother. And you wouldn't of - ah!" The sound of flesh hitting flesh came before Jordan's exclaim.

     So I was right. They did know who I was then. Thank God I had gotten out of there when I did or otherwise Jordan would have said something. And from Scott's outburst when I had dropped him off that wouldn't have been a bad thing.

     Standing there for a few more moments, no other voices came from the room. It was silent apart from Jordan who I could hear him moving around.

     A rumbling from my stomach reminding me what I had originally came down here to do, I turn away from the frame to look for the kitchen, but to a dead halt when a body was was leaning against the wall right in front of me.

     Derek stood there, doing what he does best - watching me. He must've left the room where Jordan was when I had sunk into my thoughts, and had seen me standing here. Glancing at him, dressed in a long sleeved grey tee; sleeved rolled up; his pecs noticeable through the tee, and low riding jeans.

     He says nothing. I say nothing. It was nothing but silence between us as he leans forward. His green eyes staring into mine, the smirk was back in place. As his face comes within inches of my own, Derek starts forward, walking around me all the while his face was so close to mine. Until he reentered the room with Jordan.

     What was that? . . . intimidation? Try and let me know he didn't want me here? Well fuck you, buddy. It's not like I want to be here anyway. Living with the Hales.


	2. Chapter Two

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**   
  
  
  


 

 

Sunday morning I had woken to my phone lighting up. Messages from Scott, Lydia, Kira, and half a dozen from Theo. There was even a missed call from him twenty minutes ago. I answer my brother's, but I ignore the rest.

   That afternoon I had grabbed my keys and left the mansion and drove home. A place where it felt like home. Not someplace that was fake, that was cold. I pull up next to Dad's squad car and step out. Using my key I unlock the front door and push it open.    "Dad?"

   He rounded the corner that led into the kitchen and smiled small at me. He wore his sheriff's uniform, a cup of coffee in his hand. He must be heading out soon. He always drank his coffee before a late shift. "Hey, buddy."

   Looking at the man who had raised me I see the dark circles under his eyes, the fallen features on his face.

   "You weren't here when we . . . you weren't here yesterday." I wince at the choice of my words.

   "Yeah." He said slowly, running a hand over his face. "Claudia - sorry, your mother thought it would be better if I wasn't around at the time." Dad says with the small, sad, smile. "Do you like your new home?"

   "It's not my new home. This is still my home."

   Dropping his face down with a sigh. "Your mother feels that it's best that you stay with her. Permanently.

   My head was shaking no before my mind could catch up. "No . . . no. You're my dad-"

   "I'll still get to see you, buddy. Just not everyday."

   "Dad!"

   "I really should get going. Lock up when you leave, buddy." He pushes past me in a fast walk. I stand there listening to his squad car come alive and pull out of the driveway. My fist makes contact with the dark wooden doorframe, the jolt of pain dulling the anger.

   When I returned back to the Hale mansion; my stomach growled in protesting hunger. Walking my way to the kitchen, I curse my stomach when I hear my mom calling out to me. "Hello, honey. What'd you get up to today?"

   Looking up over the white granite countertop of the island bar I see my mom sitting in what looked like a miniature greenhouse; a small table with large plants around her.

   "Come sit down. he haven't talked in a long time." She said, pushing out the chair opposite her with her foot. She didn't look like my mom. She wore a long white dress, a diamond necklace hanging from around her neck, and her hair curled and styled. Pushing a small plate of baked goods across the tables surface.

   "I went home today." Taking the seat across from me, ignoring the plate.

   "This is our home." She gives me a frown before taking a look at the room and out the windows. "Isn't it beautiful here?"

   Silence swept over us that was only broken by my mom who finally acknowledged my words. "So you saw your father today?" Her voice taking on a hardened tone. "He wasn't supposed to be there."

   "He wasn't supposed to be at his own house?" I question her, my own voice taking on a hardening tone.

   "We're getting a divorce, honey." My mom says, bypassing another one of my questions.

   My hands clench tight into balls on my thighs, not trusting what would come from my mouth right now. So I let my mom continue. "It's just you and me, Stiles. It always will be. But now I have Robert. You should get to know Derek and Jordan. They're such nice boys."

   "How would you know?"

   "I've gotten to know them over the last year. I've had dinner with them."

   "Over the last year? You cheated on dad for a year?"

   "I did tell you when we moved here that I left your father. I'm sure you noticed that we've been struggling for a long time." She rolled her eyes. "Your father was no saint. It takes two to keep a marriage going. And Noah hasn't been around for a long time. Or haven't you noticed?"

   "He's the sheriff. He's busy a lot."

   A humourless laugh comes from her. "Honey, you might want to wake up before you start casting blame. Speaking of, that Theo boy isn't good for you either. I heard his mother doesn't even work and his father's a teacher at the elementary school. God's know how he goes to a place like Devenford. There isn't much of a future with him, Stiles."

   "It's not like I'm marrying him."

   "Thank Heavens for that, Stiles. But you've been dating him since you were a freshman. I have also noticed that he cheats on you, quite a lot."

   Pushing back at my chair, the legs scrapping across the concrete floor. A cruel smile comes to me. "Well of course you would notice that, wouldn't you? Cheaters can always tell when they meet other cheaters."

   With that I turn away from the small table and my mom, and head inside. Only to come short when I see both Derek and Jordan at the island counter, watching me. I keep eye contact with them as I head out of the room and towards the stairs. It didn't take me long to grab my phone, and head out the front door and down the long driveway.

   I didn't return back until the sun had almost set; getting dropped off by Scott. Who's reaction to my new living situation had been what I had expected and what it had not. The initial shock was there, but he had remained silent for the most part.

   Thankfully he had agreed to keep it quiet. Saying bye to my brother, that I'll see him tomorrow at school. I head back inside, to the brightly lit mansion.

   "How is your brother?" My mom asked the moment I close the door behind me.

   Walking past her, I ignore her. She knew I wouldn't talk about Scott with her. I hated it. It would always end up the same, with her saying how much of a bad son he was. How his father was the worst person in the world for turning him against her. That it should be her and her two boys under the same roof. Never her fault.

   Heading towards the staircase, knowing that I wouldn't answer her, she continued on - changing the subject. "I had dinner with Robert and the boys. They asked about you, but I told them that you were upset with me. You should have dinner with us soon. And, Stiles, do me a favour and eat something tonight. Regular intake of food will keep away those down moods. I don't want to start worrying about you having depression again."

   The moment she turned her back I turned mine, and went up the stairs towards my room. Before she could turn back around and get another word in.

   After I had showered and changed into my sleep pants and my old long sleeved Star Wars shirt, I sit down on my bed and turn on my phone that I had turned off after I had called Scott earlier today. I really want one, but I had expected a message, or even a call, from Theo but there was none. Turning it back off, I put it down on the bedside table and burry myself in the covers of my bed.

   Tomorrow was the first day back to school. And how the way my weekend had turned out I doubt tomorrow would be any better.  
  
  


Junior year. One more year away from being a Senior. Last week I had been excited to start this year. All that excitement had been drained from me when Friday had rolled around.

   Change had been expected. Just not to this extent. Scott had been quiet this morning, too quiet for Scott. Having only chemistry with Scott I was glad I didn't have it today. Knowing the questions were just waiting to be released from Scott, I just didn't want them asked today.

   While putting away and pulling books from my locker, Theo fell against the locker beside me. The school vest was gone from him so he only wore his white shirt, sleeves rolled up; his tie loosened around his neck. Grinning at me. Those muscles - those dimples/smile, it all used to work for me.

   "You disappeared Friday night." He grunted. "You were also a no show for Sunday. Thought I'd get to see you last night."

   "What, you expected me after the great farewell you gave me Friday night?" I shut my locker, zipping up my bag.

   He rolled his eyes, letting out a exhale. "I texted you a lot apologising, Stiles. You didn't even text me back."

   I shrugged.

   "What's wrong with you? You've been acting weird since Friday night. What, did someone die in your family or something?"

   "How was last nights party?" I ignore his question. "Did you find some better hot hole there?"

   His jaw clenched, as did his shoulders. "Really? You're going to play that card?"

   I shrugged again. "Yeah, I guess I am."

   He pushed off from the locker, rolling his eyes. "Whatever." He said, then turned and strutted away.

   A while back I would've done something; curse, sigh, feel something. But now. I just didn't . . . Shouldering my bag I took off towards English. A class I shared with Kira and Lydia. Heading towards the back where we always sat, dropping my bag on the floor I take the seat to Lydia's left; Kira on her right.

   "Hey." I greet them.

   Lydia gives me one of her smiles. "Where were you last night? We were worried about you, so was Theo . . . he asked about you."

   "Really?" I say with an almost laugh in my tone.

   Kira nods her head, before continuing. "You missed a big fight between Jackson Whittemore and Allison Argent. Apparently she slept with Jordan Hale. Jackson found out and dumped her right there in front of everyone last night. God, I wish they were there last night. I do love my Scotty, but I'd love to see them again."

   I make sure to not show it but I am so sick of hearing about the Hale brothers, both of them. It had always been like this, but I had never cared then.

   After the news about Jackson and Allison and about her and the Hale brother thinned down and died, the week passed uneventfully. Wednesday night I met Theo at the local Burger Joint. He liked the cheese burgers, I liked the curly fries.

   "You need a ride home?" He asked as he went back to the parking lot, walking me backwards until my back was against the side of his truck. His black leather jacket pressing against my plaid over shirt.

   "I drove here, remember?"

   A frown passes over his features. "Yeah, about that . . . why did you drive? I usually pick you up. You know how I like a ride before eating with you."

   Shrugging, "I'm going to go see Scott after this." I lie.

   "Oh. Okay." Theo leaned in to seal a kiss from me. It was a quick one, no pressure was added, but his hand did come down to my waist and took hold of the waistline of my jeans. "Three years and I still kiss nice, ay?" He breathes heavy on my cheek, before taking my lips again.

   This time harder and more rough. The hand that had been at my waistline dropped, heading towards my groin. His tongue then began to prod at my closed lips, that's when I pulled away.

   "What?"

   Pushing away from his truck and Theo himself. "I don't like to make out or be groped on the street."

   Rolling his eyes and letting out an exhale. "What's happened to you? It's been like this for a while now. We used be hot and heavy. Back then you would've let me take you in the backseat of my truck. But now, now you're just ice cold."

   "I didn't think you cared . . ."

   "What are you talking about?" His blue eyes now filled with a storm. His jaw was clenched shut and his shoulders were pulled back. Letting out an inward sigh, this fight wasn't what I wanted right now. My fight was saved for another person.

   Shaking my head, I look away. "Nothing. It doesn't matter."

   Silence reigned between us for a minute or so. "You think I'm cheating on you, don't you?"

   "I have a lot on my mind. Don't worry about it, Theo. Just family shit, you know my mom. Speaking of, I should get going. The longer I'm at Scott's then the longer I'll be out. I don't need her on the rampage." I meet his gaze again.

   "Alright." He still wore the frown. "Pick you up for school tomorrow morning?"

   "I have a car." I was being an asshole, but I just didn't care anymore.

   "You know that's not the point, Stiles."

   "I know."

   "You're being a prick, you know." Theo said, turning away.

   Walking away towards my Jeep, I know I was being a prick. But this was the honest truth - I just don't care anymore.

   Closing the door behind me and starting to engine and sit there until I see the taillights of Theo's truck turn the corner. I then pull out of the Burger Joint and drive back to the Hale mansion.

   When I walked in through the door, the place was dark. By the looks of it no one was home.

   Walking into the foyer, I see a note on the centre table with my name written on top of it; my mothers handwriting. I ignore it and walk up the stairs and up to my room.

   It was another hour before I head back downstairs and into the kitchen. Reaching into the large stainless steel fridge, that was filled to the brim, I pull out a jug of water, fill my cup and head towards the kitchen table.

   Still bathed in darkness, I sit there and finish my glass. Just when I'm about to step up and refill my glass, the front door burst open with sound of voices and laughter. A mixture of deep and high pitched laughter.

   Sinking myself deeper into the chair; into the darkness, I watch as Derek walked into the kitchen and towards the fridge, sticking his head in. Jordan came in next, with a girl hanging from his side. From the light from the fridge I could see that her hair was a dyed orange.

   Laughing, he pulled the girl up and put her on the island counter, pushing his way so that he stood between her legs. His face dropping down to her neck, causing her to let out a high pitched squeak. As the irritable sound left her mouth, Derek glanced up and saw me sitting in the darkness.

   Neither of us said anything, but neither of us looked away from each other.

   Jordan then drew back, taking ahold of the girls hair. "I like the hair, baby. Not as orange as I like it, but still enjoyable. Hey, Derek, you think it would make Momma-Wannabe mad if I banged her right here next to her precious teacups?" The girl laughed which was followed quick by a moan when Jordan pressed himself closer into her.

   Never breaking the eye contact with me, Derek crossed his arms and leant against the counter. "Do whatever you want."

   Leaning back in, Jordan's mouth was at the girls neck again. Said girl turned her head towards Derek and raked her eyes up and down him, asking in a husky voice, "You can join in too, Derek."

   A burst of laughter came from Jordan. "I don't think so. One, I don't share. At all. You're mine for the night, girl. And two, you're not my big bro's type." Jordan then dragged her off back towards the foyer.

   I hadn't moved a muscle since they had come in, but I did now. Pushing the chair back I walk my way over towards the sink to refill my glass, feeling the weight of his heavy stare.

   Ignoring the scalding burn of his stare and the hairs on the back of my neck that stood up, I turn away from the sink and head upstairs. When I got up to my room, I shut the door behind me and let out a long breath of air.  
  
  


Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh, hearing Lydia's exclaim. Telling her hadn't been something I wanted to do - telling anyone wasn't something I wanted to do. Scott, I had to. Kira, I wouldn't anytime soon.

   But Lydia, I'd always need her around.

   "Come to my room." I say from where I stood on the curve in front of the mansion; where Lydia had parked.

   "Woah, hold on there mister. How long have you been living in that place?" Lydia gestured to the ridiculously large mansion ahead of us.

   "Not even a week. Just come on." I say again, but this time I started up the driveway. Hearing Lydia's footsteps behind me.

   I stop when opening the door, looking around to see if anyone was around.

   Thankfully there wasn't. Shutting the door behind us, I lead Lydia towards the staircase. Hearing her "wow" when looking around. Just when I had reached the door to my room, who else but Jordan Hale rounded the corner.

   "Well hello there, Angel." Jordan is in front of us in a seconds notice, his eyes never breaking contact with her.

   "Lydia. Not Angel." She said, flashing him a kind smile.

   "It's Angel to me. What have you got planned for tonight, Angel?"

   "We're going to a party." I say, causing Lydia to turn her head towards me. I know Lydia was going with Scott and Kira tonight, but I had told them I wouldn't be going with them. But anything to have this conversation over was welcomed.

   Jordan turned his gaze towards me as I pushed open the door. "Is that so?" He asks. Lydia walks past me and into the room, I'm about to close the door when I hear Jordan's final words. "I might see you there."

   Walking over to the bed, taking a seat on the edge, Lydia looks up at me. "So you're going to the party now . . ."

   Nodding my head. "Most girls would've jumped at that idea." I say, ignoring her question and indicating towards the door with my head.

   "Unlike most of the girls in this town and not that desperate to have that fuck boy between my legs." Lydia says with a laugh, bringing her leg up to sit on it.

   "You looked pretty impressed Friday night." I challenged her.

   Lydia scoffed. "How everyone speaks about them, of course I'd have that reaction. Who wouldn't?"

   Me.

   At that moment my door was pushed open to show my mom standing there. "Oh . . . well hello there Lydia. Stiles may I speak with you for a minute?" My mom asks and turns before an answer could come from me.

   "What are you doing tonight, Stiles?" She asks once I walk out of my room. I notice then the new large diamond bracelet hanging from her wrist.

   "I'm going to a party with Lydia, and the others."

   "Oh."

   I wanted to sigh outward, but settling for an inward one was good enough. "Why?"

   "I think Derek and Jordan are going to a friend's get together. Maybe you can go with them? You can't keep ignoring them forever."

   Wanna bet?

   What she didn't know was what she referred to as a 'get together' was actually a house party that could range from a hundred to two hundred people.

   "Yeah sure, mom. I'll get right on that."

   She lets a sigh, an irritated sounding one. "Just try for me. please. It's important to me if you get along with them." If I had not grown up with my mom I would have wavered at the convincing broken look on her face. But wanting this conversation done I curse to myself and agree with what she wants. "Thank you, Stiles. It means a lot to me." Turning on her heal she took off down the hallway.

   Once I had changed out of my plaid and jeans and into a black button up shirt; the first two buttons undone; sleeves rolled up, and a pair of dark jeans, I left with Lydia to head to hers, and then to the party where we met Scott and Kira.

   We'd been here almost thirty minutes now, the sound of the base from the music; the alcohol being passed around, and then the feel of Theo pressing up behind me. Whispering in my ear, "Fuck, Stiles. You look hot. Can we go somewhere? I just walked in and I got hard."

   Scott and Kira then took off, Lydia following behind. I turn my head over my shoulder. "I'm sure your five fingered friend will help you." I stretch my false smile wide and walked away. Hearing his groan behind me, his hand curving around my waist and taking ahold of my waistband.

   Right at that moment the crowd of people around us erupted in loud voices. Then their names were howled out by some of the guys that are on the lacrosse team; Theo's arm tightened around me. When Derek and Jordan walked through the crowd, I felt everything drain from me. Their friends followed in behind them.

   They were heading towards where Theo and I stood; next to the drinks. When they stopped in close, Jordan looked over to me and grinned and grabbed a bottle and started pouring drinks.

   Derek took a drink that was offered to him and then turned his gaze towards Theo and I, looking where Theo had his arm wrapped around me before locking his eyes with mine.

   More and more came into the room, all the while Derek kept his eyes on me. After a minute, Theo leaned into my ear. "You know the Hales?"

   "No." I answer straight away, pushing out of Theo's hold and shoving my way through the crowd, Theo following behind.

   It was an hour later, Lydia had already found us, when Kira and Scott found us too. Her eyes eyes; looking star shocked. "Did you see them?"

   Theo let out a groan, removing his face from where it had been at my neck; kissing. Pulling back and falling against the couch.

   "Them?" Already knowing who Kira was talking about . . .

   "Derek and Jordan." Before I could stop it, the sigh and the frown was quick to come.

   And of course, Theo noticed. "Are you sure you don't know them?"

   Kira collapsed down onto the cough, next to Lydia. "Derek and Jordan are so gorgeous." I notice Lydia's eye roll up at Kira's words.

   "What the fuck. . ." My brother frowned down at his girlfriend.

   Reaching up to grab his hand and pulled him down to sit next to her, "You know no one compares to you." She kisses him, but was quick to return to talking about the Hales. "I'm pretty sure I saw Derek go upstairs with a brunette about half an hour ago. And Jordan's with the Diaz twins. Tracey's playing pool with him while Josh is trying his best to get noticed by him."

   Shifting beside me on the couch, Theo then shot up. "I'm going to get another drink." Then walks out of the room. I frown as I watch after him.

   "Lyds!" Kira suddenly exclaims, jerking her head to look at her. "Apparently Jordan has a huge thing for red heads. You should go talk to him. Imagine that; being Jordan Hale's girlfriend." The feeling of the weight of my bladder hit me. Thankfully giving me a reason to rid myself of this conversation.

   "Good luck with this." I say quietly to Lydia, who in return directed a death glare my way.

   "Where are you going?" My brother asks.

   "To the bathroom," I start walking backwards. "Unless you want me to go on you instead." I turn with satisfaction when I see the grimace on Scott's face.

   Shouldering my way through the many people, I walk down the downstairs hallway, but coming short when I see the long line to what was obviously the bathroom. I curse at myself. Upstairs . . . 

   I go to turn but the sight of Jordan Hale stopped me. It looked as if he was going to walk right past me, but as he came in close he slowed down and said, "Hello, roommate."

   "Shut up." I whisper yell at him, looking around and seeing eyes being cast our way. Thankfully none of those eyes were within hearing range.

   Grinning wide and bitting the bottom of his lip, obviously happy with himself by my reaction. He then walked away, back into the party. The eyes were still weighing heavy on me. Frowning at the feeling, I take off towards the stairs.

   Upstairs was empty and somewhere up here I could find a bathroom and try to capture a bit of sanity with it. Oh, but life had another plan for me. Pushing open the door I hadn't expected to see Theo in bed with not only Tracey Diaz, but with her twin brother Josh too.

   Looking over his shoulder, a scowl ready on his face, but it soon changed; his eyes widening. Josh fell from the bed on the other side, trying to cover himself. But Tracey didn't move at all, except throw me a frustrated look.

   A harsh laugh came from me. "You've got to be kidding me..."

   "Stiles! Stiles, wait!" I turned to run as he scrambled out of the bed. But as I left through the door, his hand caught my arm in the hallway. "Please wait."

   "You know I'm not really all that surprised." I spoke though a calm voice; the hint of harsh laughter still in there. Though I could feel that my heart was racing and I know what I must look pissed; shaking. The harsh laugh came again from me. "It's kind of a cliché ending to a relationship, right?"

   Shaking his head, his Adam's apple moving with a swallow. "Ending?"

   There's that laugh again, making it's appearance for a third time. "You were in bed with not only another girl but another guy. Twins. Yes, Theo. Ending."

   I didn't notice it then, but a door had opened up behind Theo. I didn't even hear the footsteps until he came into my line of vision. Derek came out with a skinny brunette wrapped around him; wobbling beside him; unable to stand on her own. Her slender arms hung around his neck. A smile painted on her face. His eyes locked onto mine when he saw me.

   Theo then broke the stare. "Look, I know it must look bad-"

   "Look bad?" I spat out. "Are you - are you dense?"

   "Look at you Stiles!" He gestured towards me. "You dress like that; looking that fucking hot and I get nothing from it. Three years we've been together. It's been months since you even let me touch your dick." I feel the rage flood through me. My fists ball and clench tight. Theo then ran a hand across the back of his neck. "I'll change, Stiles. I will. I love you."

   "No you don't." I say it quietly, laughing at myself.

   "Three years, Stiles. That has to mean something..."

   "You don't love me." I say again, this time spoken more loudly.

   The look on his face changed from a pleading look to a snarl. "Get the fuck over yourself, Stiles. You know what? Fine. We're done. I'm not even going to bother and kiss your ass. It hasn't done anything for me." My eyes somehow find their way to Derek's, who continued to stand there and watch. "Three years, and it took two just to get inside your pants. I can be better guy than I was to you and I have no problem getting people in my bed."

   "I know you've been cheating on me. Even my mom knew you were." It was all I said back.

   "And that makes you look like such a fool." He tipped his chin up, a cruel smirk came to him.

   "Maybe . . . or maybe I just didn't give a shit."

   Theo grew silent. "You're so fucked in the head, Stiles. I mean, how low do you think of yourself to stay with someone who's cheated on you the whole time." The whole time? . . . Theo then laughed. A cold, cruel sounding laugh. "You have no clue do you? You have the worst taste in friends too."

   "Friends?" It barley comes out.

   "Not just Tracey and Josh. But your brothers little girlfriend too. Kira's been riding my cock for two years now."

   "Kira..."

   "Hearing how she went on about the fucking Hale brothers tonight pissed me off. But I'll find a better use for her mouth than talking about those cunts-"

   Shut up. Shut the fuck up. Was what I wanted to shout, but instead my fist clenched and I swung at him, hitting him in the jaw. His head snapped back at me and stared at me with wide eyes. I turn then and left. I was out the front door and driving off within minutes. Lydia had come with me, but I know she would get a ride home with Scott and . . . and Kira. The hand that I had punched Theo with shook even after I had pulled myself into bed.

   I never slept that night.


	3. Chapter Three

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**   
  
  


 

 

Sleep had finally taken over me when the sun had just begun to shine itself through my window.

     It didn't last long though, five hours, before I awoke to sound of car doors slamming shut.

     Feeling my mouth parched, I pull myself out of the bed. Still dressed in an old plain red long sleeved shirt and plaid pyjama pants that I had outgrown a year or so ago; that embarrassingly hugged certain places.

     Not that I really cared if everyone saw. The pants didn't have any sort of special significance to me. I just hadn't been bothered to buy a new pair. And it's not like Mom would.

     Walking down to the kitchen, I make a B line towards the cabinet that held the glasses and filled one with water.

     Leaning against the island counter, through the windows I could see many people spilled out along the pool outside and out in the trees, building a bonfire.

     They were having a party . . . great.

     How am I going to tell Scott? I ask myself, for the billionth time since last night. Theo could be lying . . . he had to be. I've known Kira for three years; she'd been dating Scott for those three years. It couldn't be true.

     The loud bass from the music that I could hear through the windows got louder when the door to the backyard opened and closed. I didn't glance up when I heard footsteps, the clink of glass, and when Derek stepped up beside me, filling up his glass.

     Against what I had wanted to do, to keep my eyes trained on the granite counter, I turned my head slowly to my side, to glance up at him.

     Seeing that his eyes were trained on me. Dressed in a dark long sleeved tee, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, that hugged his torso like a second skin.

     For the first time I noticed the leather string of a necklace around his neck, disappearing into his shirt.

     Suddenly the door flew open with Jordan's voice. Breaking the eye contact I had with Derek. "Brother-to-be!" Jordan exclaims loudly. I jerk my gaze towards the window, seeing a few eyes trained of Jordan, then on Derek, and then on me. As if trying to decipher who and what Jordan was talking about. "Need to speak to you about your friend." He leaned across the counter on his elbows from the other side, shirtless. "Is there anyone else in Angel's life? Need to know what kind of competition I have."

     "She has a boyfriend." I lie and turn away from the Hale brothers.

     There was no way I was going to let Lydia become one of the girls that brag about sleeping with Jordan Hale.

     Heading back to my room I check my phone to see numerous messages from Lydia asking what had happened to me last night. A few from Scott. But what added to my anger was the message from Kira.

      **Theo said that you two broke up. CALL ME!!**

     Shutting off my phone and then throwing it down onto the bed. I then head towards the bathroom, shower, and change out of my pyjama pants and shirt.

     I spent the day held up in my room until I couldn't stand the look of the four walls any longer.

     The party was still going strong. The bonfire was now lit, casting an orange glow through the trees.

     I could hear my mom's voice somewhere in the house, then the sound of the front door opening and closing.

     The rest of the night I spent hold up in the TV room. The sound of the movie I had picked barely managing to be heard over the loud voices and music.   
  
  


"What's up with you?" Scott asks, rolling up his light green button up to his elbows as we walk through the doors to school.

     "Nothing." I say on instinct, walking towards my locker. I still didn't know how to tell him. It might not even be true what Theo had told me . . . I know how much Scott loves Kira. Telling him could blow up in my face.

     On the ride to school, after glaring at the mansion I walked out off, Scott hand't said a word. Obviously knowing about me and Theo, but knowing how I was, Scott had thankfully not said a thing.

     "What happened with you and Theo?" Kira's voice suddenly comes from my right. Looking around my open locker, towards her. "Not replying to my messages. Bad friend much?" Crossing her arms.

     Letting my anger finally get to me, I slam my locker shut. The sound echoing through the corridor, causing a few eyes to land on us. "You tell me. You should know what happened . . . since you're fucking him."

     Her eyes widened; her mouth falling open. Taking a step back then turning around a hurrying away.

     Closing my eyes and letting out a sigh through my closed teeth. Turn on my heal, weaving the long sleeves of my white uniform between my fingers, it was true . . . how could this be true? I'd seen her around my brother . . . shit, Scott. How the Hell was I going to tell him this -

     Out of nowhere there's Kira again, standing in front of him. "Have you told Scott?" Kira demanded.

     "No." I say, pulling up the strap of my bag up some more on my shoulder. "You're going to . . . what the fuck, Kira. He love-"

     "No. No. I'm going to say anything, and neither are you." A small humourless laugh comes from Kira. Who was this standing in front of me?  "Unless you want your brother to know why you wear long sleeved shirts all the time. I know he's wondered."

     The air leaves my lungs at her words. Theo knew why because of the times we'd spent together. He knew how they got there, well the altered version of the reason. How stupid of me to think he wouldn't tell anybody.

     "That's what I thought. Now you keep what you know to yourself and I'll keep what I know myself-"

     "I don't care." I did. "If you don't tell him I will." I then shove past her, walking away from class. I couldn't do it today.

     Pulling into the driveway of the Hale mansion, the first thing I see is my mom throwing her arms around Robert Hale; both standing in front of a car I've never seen before. Stepping out the voices descend on me.

     "Oh my God, I love it." My mom explains, looking at the white Lexus RX.

     "Anything for you." Robert says, wrapping one of his tanned arms around her waist.

     She lets out a squealing laugh before she notices me. "Stiles, what are you doing home from school so early?"

     "Too much." I say. It was all I needed to say. She knew about how it would get sometimes . . . knew why I wore long sleeved shirts. Of course she knew. She was the reason . . . No! I push the memories away.

     "We should take this for a spin." Mom returns her attention back on Robert; not caring what I'd just told her. "Maybe dinner at Maize's and spend the night at one of your hotels, maybe Excellence? I do love the room we stayed in that night-"

     I walk away then, obviously my mom had better things on her mind. Instead of heading up the stairs towards my room, I take a right through the hallway and find myself in the TV room. Dropping my bag to the floor I drop down beside the lounge and being my knees up to my chest; pulling down the sleeves.

     They were ugly.

     Dozens of them. Jagged, thick and thin, scars stretched across the skin of my wrist to my elbow.

     Running the ends of my fingers along the ugly scars, the memories of the glass being slammed and shattering against my arm came to me. Her amber brown eyes that matched my own filled with heated hatred.

     Pushing my head down into the crook of my left elbow, I try and burry those memories like I was burying my face into my elbow.

     I hadn't meant to fall asleep but when I raised my head up from my elbow the room was now bathed in light, from both the celling light and the large TV. Only now I wasn't alone.

     Jordan was spread out across the large leather lounge, his eyes focused on the flickering TV; an explosion of an action scene. Derek sat on the chair ahead of me, his gaze focused on the TV like Jordan's was until that was broken when Derek turned his head to face me.

     Realising that my sleeve was still pulled up I instantly shove it down and start to push up from the ground, but Derek speaking stops me. "Where'd they come from?" He asks, gesturing towards my arm.

     A rush of movement suddenly came from where Jordan was laying, until he was hanging over the arm of the chair, looking at me.

     "Nowhere." I say, avoiding the bright green eyes, focusing rather on the pendant that hung from Derek's neck. Seeing now that it was one of those lockets that held pictures in side of them. 

     Pushing up to my feet, feeling the heavy weight of their stares still on me, I turn my way out of the room - not without catching the green of Derek's eyes staring at me when I head unintentionally looks back into the room.

     They'd been in the room while I had been there; while I was asleep. Derek saw my scars. They probably both saw my scars and had a good laugh about it. How I'm sure both Theo and Kira had a good laugh about it.

     Not that I cared really . . . Mom didn't care. Dad didn't; he wouldn't fight for me. Not Theo. Not Kira. Up the stairs and to my room, I shut the door behind me and fall to the bed. This was my life. Filled with people who didn't care about me. . .   
  
  


"Oh, Stiles." My mom calls out to me as I walk down the hallway, past one of the many rooms that served as a living space.

     She then laughed, a noise that sounded forced and fake. I notice then that she was on her phone.

     "I promise you, everything will work out just fine . . . okay, yes. Love you too." Pulling the phone away from her ear, she uncrosses her legs and stands up from where she sat.

     Seeing mom in dresses; I still wasn't used to it. Growing up I had always seen her in jeans, tees, and cardigans.

     I had avoided her since she came back this morning without Robert.

     I had held up in my room.

     I couldn't face school today; couldn't face anyone, especially not my mom with the memories I had long ago pushed away resurfacing.

     "Derek and Jordan should be back soon. They had lacrosse practice that ran late. Robert and I would like a family dinner tonight. How does that sound?" She starts forward and walks past me.

     "It will suck."

     Ignoring my comment as I follow her down the hallway, towards the foyer.

     "I'm having chicken and steak being made at Maize's; having it brought her. I was going to cook it myself but after sixteen years of cooking for you and Noah, I think I deserve having it made for me."

     I don't follow her as she walks off in the direction off . . . I don't know.

     I hadn't cared enough to actually learn each and every room in this place. Already having my phone on me I walk out the door and towards the road.

     I had no one to see. Well, I did. But I couldn't. Scott; going to and from school with him was bad enough when I couldn't tell him about Kira . . . Kira; fuck her. And Lydia, she'd know something was up with me. And I don't know if I could tell him; in response learn about my scars.

     It was late when I returned. I had gone nowhere, just anywhere but here. The sky had become dark long ago, the chill of the air hitting me hard.

     Closing the door behind me, I rub my hand down my face. As I walked towards the stairs a light switched on beside me.

     I could feel the anger radiating from Claudia's eyes from here.

     Her lips were pushed together, and her arms were crossed. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

     Looking around, trying to see if there was a clock in sight. There wasn't. I shrugged.

     "It's one in the morning, Stiles." Her feet start forward until we were both standing in the foyer. "I don't understand why you can't be happy for once. You knew my marriage with your father wasn't working out. Be happy for me."

     "Happy?" I scoff out. "It happened a week ago."

     Her arms then unfolded and dropped to her side, her figure standing more straight. Her anger filled eyes still trained on me. "You missed dinner tonight."

     My eyes roll at her words. "Your precious dinner."

     "It was an important dinner."

     "Yeah, I highly doubt that." I start to turn towards the stairs, but she caught my arm. The arm with the scars . . .

     I wince at the touch, but she didn't register the expression. It's not like they hurt anymore. Just her touching "Don't turn your back to me. I'm talking to you and you will listen to what I say."

     "No, not anymore. I'm almost eighteen, and as soon as I am, I'm moving in with dad." I haven't spoken to dad since last week. But he was my dad, he would let me live with him. He's not Claudia.

     The grip on my arm got too tight, I had to rip it out of her grasp. "No you will not, Stiles. You're my son. You will stay with me." Her breathing was loud; her chest rising and falling.

     "I don't care about your fake life - the role you're playing right now as wannabe wife to Robert Hale."

     Claudia's mouth fell open. A taken back look painted across her face. "You will show me respect. I am your mother!" She exclaims.

     "Some mother you are." I spit back at her. "Do you even think about your other son? The first family you abandoned . . ." I then say with pure honesty. "I wish you weren't my mother."

     It wasn't new to feel physical pain from her but when the force of her hand smacked me across the face, it shocked me. My hand came up to cradle my cheek that radiated with numbing pain. For a few moments that stretched on for years, her eyes kept looking from her hand to my cheek, before her face cleared and her hand dropped. "The dinner was important to me. I wanted you there-"

     "You want to know where I was?" I suddenly exclaim, my voice breaking. I don't wait for her to answer. "I walked into the trees. So far into the trees and didn't stop until my feet hurt. I then stared at my arm for a few hours. My arm. All those memories coming back . . . I know you know what I'm talking about."

     "Robert and I are getting married." She said, ignoring what I had just said.

     I stand there, without a word. Scott's dad, then my dad, and now this. Twice she had left her husband for another; her third husband . . . I wish-

     "Did you not hear me, Stiles? Robert proposed to me. We announced it tonight at dinner. A dinner you should have been at. It was humiliating not having my own son there with me. Yes I do think about my first son. How his father turned him against me. And now you . . . how selfish are you!"

     "Humiliated." I mimic her words. "Now you know how I feel, Claudia. I'm humiliated every day that we're here. That you left dad for this-"

     "You will watch your mouth, Stiles!"

     My mouth clenched shut, my hands at my side clenched tight. I feel my eyes water. But it wasn't from sadness. It was from anger. My head began to shake as I said my words. "I wish I was never born. Not from you."

     It happened again. Her hand swung out. This time it smacked across my mouth. The metallic taste of blood hit my tongue. Wiping at my mouth, seeing the smear of blood, I glance up at her. Feeling my anger burn inside me.

     Something I never would do, but the anger filling me to the brim, I start forward.

     Her eyes widened at my movement; her mouth falling open. But before I could take another step towards her I was hauled backwards by two arms wrapping around my waist.

     "Let me go!" I shouted and tried to kick back at who had their hold on me.

     "You could help." Derek's voice spoke from behind my ear.

     "I think you've got it under control."

     Jerking my head over my shoulder; over Derek's shoulder I saw Jordan, and Robert standing at the foot of the stairs. Jordan's brows were shot up, an amused expression on his face. But Robert stared at me with an expressionless face.

      I try to struggle some more, but Derek's arms tighten around me.

     Hating that he was stronger than me.

     Throwing my head back into his shoulder, letting out a frustrated breath of air. Feeling his own breath on my ear. "Let me go. I'm not going to do anything." A grunt came from Derek and removed his arms from me.

     I don't take another second to look at them, not Derek who had just held me against his frame, not either Jordan or Robert, and especially not Claudia. I take the stairs two steps at a time and went straight to bed.

     The next day I left without a word to anyone. I didn't even stop for food. I had grabbed my keys, my bag, and left the house. Opting to drive myself rather than having Scott drive me. Being at school wasn't any better.

     Walking through the corridor, walking towards my lockers, I felt the weight of many eyes on me. I didn't have to think about why. I knew it instantly. Theo.

     Being very well liked with many people it wouldn't have been hard for Theo to have people look down on me and talk behind my back.

     Appearing suddenly, Lydia came beside me at my lockers. Her green orbs staring right at me.

     "Is Scott okay? . . . are you okay?"

     My head jerks away from my locker and towards her at the mention of my brother. "Why? What's wrong with Scott?" Not bothering with my "okayness". Scott was more important.

     Lydia's brow then narrows. "He didn't say anything to you on the ride to school?"

     "I drove myself to school . . . what happened to Scott?"

     Letting out a sigh, pressing her lips together. "Kira broke up with Scott yesterday. She, uh, she's been seen spending a lot of time with Theo..."

     "Fucking bitch." I growl out. The many eyes staring at me, with quiet words being spoken.

     Catching my expression, another sigh left Lydia. This one sounding shallow. "Theo . . . he started a rumour that you cut yourself."

     Shutting my eyes for a few moments, I bring out my phone from my pocket and start to scroll for Scott's number.

     "Stiles..."

     "It doesn't matter." I turn my back to Lydia and hold the phone up to my ear. Leaving the school for the second time in a week, listening to the ringing tone as more judging eyes turn to look at me.

     Pulling up into the driveway, seeing both Derek and Jordan throwing bags into Derek's black Camero. I had spoken to Scott the whole way while driving home. Hearing the sadness in his voice. I had wanted to head over to him but he turned down the offer immediately. I would message him later.

     Opening and closing the door to my Jeep, my eyes find their way to Derek and Jordan, as they dumped their bags into the car and closed the trunk. I'm guessing they were going, wherever, for a few days - weeks. Lucky them. As I reach the front yard fountain that faced the entrance to the house, both Derek and Jordan look up to see me.

     The eye contact with Jordan didn't last; his attention was grabbed by something on his phone and looked away. But the eye contact with Derek kept strong until I reached the front steps. Only breaking the contact when I turned away and walked into the cold mansion, filled with people who cared little about me - walking into the place known as my  _home_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	4. Chapter Four

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**   
  
  


 

 

It was early Sunday morning when I woke.

     The morning sun shined in through my window. Everything was in a dark - almost light haze.

     Pulling myself out of the large bed, dropping down to the thick carpeted floor. The first thing that comes to my mind is my brother. Since finding out on Friday that Kira had dumped Scott I had spent all of yesterday on the phone with him. Trying to convince him to let me see him.

     My ability to care about, well, . . . anything was severely lacking these days. But Scott, and Lydia slipped through. The only two people who I know that actually cared about me.

     Feeling the early morning protest of my both my bladder and stomach. I relieve myself and then venture downstairs and into the kitchen. However, as I opened the fridge, the bright light spewing into the room, I let out an exclaiming curse.

     Derek stood behind me, leaning his back against the island counter. His arms crossed over his chest. The hairs along the back of my neck stood as his relaxed, carefree look. Again he didn't do anything but stand there and stare; didn't say anything.

     You know what? Fine. I'm not going to let him bother me anymore than he has.

     Returning to look back into the fridge that was filled to the brim with enough food to feed everyone in this place for a whole week.

     But before I could make the decision of what to eat, I jump for the second time in under a minute, as an arm reaches inside the fridge around me.

     Derek caught me as I jumped back into him, his hand holding me still as he pulls out a jar of mayonnaise.

     I held my breath as his body moved, before returning and pulling out the butter, and then a bowl of diced chicken I only notice when it's in his hand. When his arm finally leaves, I sag with relief.

     After a few moments standing there with the fridge door still wide open, the chill getting too much, I shut it and turn around. To see that Derek had pulled out a plate and had slapped two pieces of bread on the plate, the butter, mayo, and chicken added atop of them.

     Cutting it half, he does something that causes my mouth to fall open. He pushes the plate across the counter, towards me.

     Turning his back to me, he reaches into the cabinet and pulls out glass bottle filled with thick amber liquid.

     After pouring himself a drink he walked around the island and pulled out the chair that faced opposite of me; leaning back into the chair as he sipped his drink.

     More of the morning sun was shinning in through the windows now. How I didn't notice it until now, but the muffled sound of the bass of music came from the backyard.

     Derek and Jordan came back yesterday evening. From the moment they came back home a party started. I had thought it ended after I had gone to sleep . . . I guess not.

     "They're going to be out there until tonight." Derek says, as if he read my mind.

     I don't try and hide the grimace that comes to my face.

     "Are you going to go out there?"

     "You left Friday." I say instead of answering his question. God knows why those were the words that came from my mouth.

     "Yeah. Jordan and I went to see our Mom and sister."

     "You have a sister?"

     He gave me the first small smile I'd ever received from him. But I knew it was more for his sister than for me. "Yeah. Malia. She went with our mom when Robert divorced her last year."

     No other words were spoken after that. My eyes were trained on the plate as I ate my sandwich until there was nothing but the tiniest of crumbs left.

     The sudden sound of his chair scrapping across the title as he shoved back the chair and stood. Walking around the counter he was next to me, taking the now empty plate to the sink.

     Still standing in place at the island; as Derek passed, he lightly tapped my shoulder. "You should come out. My idiot brother plans to climb top the top of one of the trees and jump into the pool. I'm sure it'll be fun to watch. And he wants to talk to you."

     I didn't want to. I really didn't want to go out there. But going against my best interests, and that I couldn't stand the walls of this mansion any longer, but as I reach the door I look down to see my pyjama pants. Though the lacrosse rivalry between Devenford Prep and Beacon Hills High was very strong there would still be people from Devenford out there. So I had to change.

     Now wearing the jeans I had worn yesterday, the long sleeved tee I had slept in, I walk out the glass door.

     This was the first time walking out in the backyard. The steps from the doors led down to a large area of green grass that was now littered with red plastic cups. Off to the side, down past the slight steep grass hill, was a large pool. Even this early in the morning there were people in the pool.

     It wasn't exactly warm. It was close to winter . . . idiots. The wall that separated the backyard from the woods was large; a gate was open at the far end. That's where I saw Jordan.

     I had kept my head down. Not wanting to risk anyone recognising me. But having to see where I was going; where Jordan was relation to me, I take a glance up at the wrong time.

     Alexa Raeken, Theo's sister, was staring right at me. Wearing a questioning look. Me and her weren't that close but all those times I had spent at Theo's we had gotten to know each other. She knew this would be the last place I would ever be. Fuck.

     Bringing my head back down, clenching my eyes shut, I make my way over to Jordan, where he stood with a group of others.

     "You wanted to talk to me?" I say as soon as I step up close enough to him.

     Not only Jordan, but all that was hanging around him turned to face me when I spoke.

     "Stiles!" Jordan exclaims with a smile, throwing his arm over my shoulders and directed us away from those he was hanging with. Which caused almost, probably all, eyes to stare our way. "You're good friends with Angel, right? Maybe you could invite her to one of my parties?"

     Angel? I question before I remember the name Jordan had given to Lydia . . .  
  
     "No." I say immediately, moving myself so that his arm fell from my shoulders. "Lydia isn't like the girls that throws themselves at you for one quick fuck."

     Throwing his hands up in a surrendering motion. "Come inside for a second." He motions his head towards the glass door. For the second time this morning I do something that goes against what I want and follow him.

     Walking past the kitchen and into a small room that sat off from it. A room with only two lounge chairs on an angle, with a large potted plant between them. "Angel is insanely beautiful. You know my reputation. I have no trouble scoring. But Angel . . . she's something else. I can see that." Jordan must know what the look on my face is, because he then adds: "Doesn't have to be a party. Just invite her around. You're making me desperate here, bro."

     Letting out a sigh. "I'll think about it." I say, now wanting to walk away and be closed in by the four walls of my room.

     Jordan's smile then widens, again throwing his arm over my shoulder. He asks if I want to come out and have a drink with him. Declining him, I make my way back up to my room.

     I don't leave my room until the sky outside was dark and the sounds of the party died. Feeling a craving for curly fries from the Burger Joint, I exit my room and start my way towards the stairs.

     Only when I'm halfway down the stairs I hear their voices, midway through Jordan speaking. "-Raeken needs to know he can't talk shit about us; about our team. I think I know where he lives-"

     "I know where he lives." I say, coming down to the final step. Both Derek and Jordan turn their head to face me; walking towards the door.

     "What are you doing?" Derek says, frowning.

     "I'm coming with you."

     "No."

     "Yes." I say, shooting my brows up. Challenging him to say otherwise again. I didn't know why I wanted to come . . . wait, no. Of course I knew why I wanted to go with them.

     "Let him come, Der." Jordan says, pulling on a black hoodie. Noticing now the black leather Jacket Derek wore.

     "Fine." Derek sighs, walking to the door.

     Ten minutes later, Derek pulls up to a large house. A guy I'd never seen or met before walks out and sits in the back when Jordan hops out and pulls the seat forward. The guy looks to me with a questioning frown. "Isaac, this is Stiles." Jordan says, turned in the passenger seat, facing the back. "Our soon to be step brother."

     My frown is set in place immediately. I didn't want people knowing that I my mom was dating, well now engaged, to their dad. I didn't need - "Stiles, this Isaac. The third best player on our lacrosse team." Jordan continues. A back and fourth conversation between the three then broke out. A conversation I didn't contribute to.

     It was another fifteen minutes before we reached Beacon Heights, where Devenford Prep was. Jordan then asked where Theo lived, which had caused Derek to look up and watch me through the rearview mirror. Meeting his eyes through the mirror, I tell them the directions.

     It wasn't long until we were parked outside the modern two story house. Theo's black truck parked out the front. Derek, Jordan, and Isaac were out of the car as soon as Derek parks it.

     Walking out and following behind them, they're quick to do what they came to do. Isaac reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a can. A shaking sound then came. A spray can.

     Throwing it out, Derek catches the can in mid air. He then squats down and starts to spray. In large letters; red paint:

      **HALE**

     Written along the side the truck, across the the drivers side and backseat doors.

     Staring at his truck, what they were doing to it. He cheated on me. For two years. The thoughts came to me. Him and Kira; behind not only my back, but my Scott's too. White hot anger flooded through me. I don't think. I let it control me.

     Looking to my right, then to my left. For anything that would do the job. I find what I need in the grass beside the gutter. A discarded rock. Not too big to be difficult to pick up, but big enough for the job.

     "What are you doing?" Derek asks in an almost yelling whisper.

     I ignore his words and walk past them. No sound, no words leave me as I slam the rock into the side of his truck. The echoing sound of the contact was loud. But it didn't stop me. Raising my hand up once more I slam the rock into the truck again. The pain radiated through my palm, but I didn't care.

     It wasn't until the porch light turned one that I stopped. Not wanting to finish it with just a few dents, scratches, and their tag. With full force I rear my hand back and smash the driver's side window with the rock.

     Derek was then at my side, his hand on my arm, and hauling me towards the Camero. Derek takes off the moment the door to Theo's house is thrown open.

     Jordan and Isaac throw their head back with laughter. I shrink back into the leather of the seat, not caring about the wide approving smile Jordan cast my way or how Derek, in between driving, was trying to catch my eyes again in the rearview mirror. I didn't care.

     They dropped off Isaac after that, and then drove back to the house. Jordan pulled out his phone upon entering through the doors, announcing that he was ordering pizza. My hunger had all but vanished so I took the stairs and headed to my room.

     Derek followed me...


	5. Chapter Five

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**   
  
  


 

 

"What?" I ask when I walk into my room; grabbing my pyjama pants and sleep shirt and walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth.

     Derek walked in behind me, perching himself on the end of my bed. Watching every move I made in the bathroom. "The car tonight . . . the cops could be called."

     "They won't be." I move away from the basin after rinsing my mouth, so that Derek couldn't see in. I pull my shirt over my head, ignoring my right arm. I pull on the over sized sleep shirt, pull off my jeans and my pyjama pants on.

     "You seem pretty sure of it." Derek speaks again when I walk out of the bathroom.

     "I am." Knowing Theo and his family for so long, knowing what Theo's father was involved in, he'd never report it to the cops. Theo would have his daddy repair his truck or buy him a new one. That and my dad was the sheriff.

     Still sitting there, watching me with his green eyes, speaking with a bored tone. "Your dad's the sheriff." He says more of a statement than a question. Partly understanding why I wasn't concerned.

     "Yeah." I say in a small, hushed voice.

     There's silence between us for a minute or so. "You know Raeken." Derek says again, in a statement not a question.

     "Wish I didn't." I say in all honesty. Feeling the frown now growing on my face.

     He nodded. "Got it." Then stands up from the edge of the bed.

     As Derek moved past me, towards the door, his hand brushed against my right arm and lingered where the scars were.

     I clench my eyes shut at the feeling. Having any contact on that arm that wasn't my own was something I hated. The ghosting pain of glass shattering against my skin; brown eyes filled with anger would come whenever they were touched.

     But another feeling came to me. It wasn't the ghosting pain of the memories. It was something I hadn't felt in a while. Desire. A feeling that wasn't supposed to be there. Something I hadn't expected.

     He then moved past me and towards the door. I stood there for a few more moments after he had left before I finally made my way into my bed. Where I spent another night with less than an hour of sleep.

     Next morning I woke to Scott calling me, asking if I wanted a ride to school. Taking up his offer I throw myself into the shower, shave, and into my uniform. I haven't spoken to Claudia since she had waited up that night and hit me.

     Speaking to her wasn't something I wanted anytime soon.

     Thankfully she wasn't in the kitchen when I walked in. Though Derek and Jordan were.

     Their schoolbags sat on the marbled floor next to the chairs they sat at the morning table.

     I didn't want to pay them any attention, especially after what I felt last night when Derek brushed his hand against my arm.

     But I fail as my eyes land on both of them the moment I walked in.

     Both wearing the jackets I had seen them in last night. Derek and his leather jacket and Jordan in his black hoodie.

     Feeling their stares on me as I make my way into the kitchen. I do my best to ignore them as I prepare my breakfast, but Jordan had other plans.

     "Don't get me wrong. I like you, brother to be," Jordan leans back in his chair. "But you're a bit strange. Anyone else would have blasted it all over Facebook and Twitter that we're your new stepbrothers. But you haven't. It's like we're your dirty little secret."

     After two spoonfuls, I answer him. "I like my privacy." After that it was five minutes of them having their own conversations before Derek stood up from his chair, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

     "Do you need a ride?" Derek's voice asks. It wasn't until the silence stretched on that I realise that Derek was speaking to me.

     "My brother is picking me up."

     Slapping his hands on the table like it were a set of drums, Jordan shoots up from the chair and shoulders his bag. He then starts toward the entrance to the kitchen. Derek, on the other hand, stood there for a few moments before following his brother.

     Five minutes later I had walked down the long driveway, towards my brother. Pulling open the door, throwing my bag to the floor in front of the passenger seat, I flop down into the seat.

     Looking to my side, over at him. He gives me one of his small smiles and takes off down the road.

     "How are you doing?"

     "Fine." Scott says with an edge on his voice. Picking up clearly that he didn't want to speak about her and what had happened.

     The rest of the drive was met with silence between us, with only the radio holding the conversation. Silence while driving wasn't unusual with us. We were guys. Talking while driving was just something we didn't do. But with so much resting on our minds, silence should have been broken . . .

     Pulling into the school car park, we both had lessons on different sides of the school first up.

     Telling him I'll see him at lunch, getting another one of his smiles; pulling up the strap of his brown bag so it sat more up on his shoulder, he turns and walks away.

     Of course the first person I come in contact with when walking in through the door would be Kira.

     As if those years were nothing, she stops in front of me and looks me up and down. A look on her face, something I had never seen her with before.

     A snicker, loud enough for me to hear, came from her. Before she rolled her eyes and walked past me.

     Mom, I just didn't care about.

     Dad, I don't know...

     Theo, again I just didn't care.

     But Kira?

     I hated her. I hate her so much for how she hurt Scott. How, when me and Theo were good she was with him. Fucking him behind both me and Scott's backs. I hated her but I couldn't bring myself to care enough to hate Theo . . .

     I guess it just proves how messed up I was.

     Walking to and stopping by my locker, I start the morning process of pulling out and putting away my books, when the locker in front of me slams shut.

     I jump back from the sound to find Theo standing there, his arms crossed over his chest. A deep frown set in place on his face.

     "What?"

     I try to start towards my locker again, still needing my physics book. But Theo moves ahead and blocks me from reaching my locker. "Alexa saw you at Hales party. What were you doing at a Hale party?"

     "What's it to you?"

     "Those fucks trashed my truck." His words growled out. "What do you know about that?"

     "Why would I know anything about that." I fight the smirk that desperately wants to reveal itself.

     "Well you're suddenly buddies with those overrated fucks." He gives me a careless shrug. "You could know something."

     I try again to move around him and towards my locker, but Theo again moves to the side. Blocking my path with his wide shouldered body.

     Fuck physics.

     "Fuck off, Theo." Turning on heal and I start down the hallway. But of course, like everything, it couldn't be that simple.

     But before I could get three feet away from Theo, his arm stretched out and gripped my shoulder.

     "Now that's an offer." His voice spoke deep from behind my ear. "Would love to hear you moan my name again."

     Shoving my shoulder away from his hold. I don't even look back at Theo as I rush forward. It took it all in me to not turn towards the entrance of the school and leave. But my grades right now . . . they couldn't suffer any longer.   
  
  


**I left school early. Call me later?**

     I message Scott as I walk down Main Street. I tried to stay the day, but in the end I just didn't care. With Theo continuously watching me in and out of class added . . . I just couldn't do it.

     I didn't understand. For almost as long as we were together he's been fucking Kira, my brother's girlfriend. Kira, someone who I thought was a friend; he and her most likely laughed the whole time behind our backs. So what was this morning... if I was such a joke to him . . . what was that?

     I don't care. My mind tells me. Like with everything. My mind just tells me not to care. Not to care about anything. Because caring leads to hope. And hope can never last when you're always let down and thrown to the floor.

     Main Street had long ago been remodelled. Taking a step into the modern era: Starbucks, free wifi for Main Street, modern condos, and more. All thanks to Robert Hale. Who basically owned it all.

     I notice his car before I see him walking down the footpath.

     "Dad." I call out, getting the attention of his blue eyes.

     Narrowing his eyes at me in a frown. "Stiles. Don't you have school right now?"

     I don't stop walking until I'm in front of my dad. I haven't seen him since the day after moving into the Hale mansion. He hasn't called. He hasn't even bothered to get in touch with me.

     "Why haven't you called me?" It was the first question that came from me. A lot more civil than how I had worded it in my head.

     Like how I did with his question, he ignored mine. "You should be in school, Stiles. Here, get in. I'll take you back." He starts moving towards his squad car.

     "Dad!" I exclaim, louder than I thought it would come out. Causing the attention of passing people walking on the footpath.

     I watch as my dad stops in his tracks. Watch as his shoulders tense. Even over the sound of the traffic and the voices of the passing people, I could hear him sigh. "Stiles . . ."

     A growling, frustrated sigh escaped from my mouth. Right before: "Why didn't you try and fight for me?" I yelled. Gaining more attention from strangers walking past. "You know what she's like," I then grit through my teeth in a quitter tone, "you know what she did to me. Why didn't you try and fight to keep me-"

     "Because I have no right!" My dad turns around on his feet. His blue eyes were dark, filled with emotion. An expression stretched across his face - an expression I had only seen on him when he would come home from a hard day; a day he had to take a life. "I'm not your father."

     It was like a vacuum was shoved down my throat and all the air from my lungs was sucked away. It had to be a lie; a sick joke. I then managed a weak laugh.

     "It's not a joke, Stiles. I'm not your biological father." The look on his face . . . the vacuum returning . . .

     Running a hand down his face, his dark blue eyes look away then. Look away from my face - which I imagine was as broken as I felt. I hadn't been happy with him lately . . . I was angry with him that he didn't try and fight for me. But Dad had always been the one I went to.

     After what happened with my wrist and Claudia, Dad made me feel safe.....

     My feet move before my brain does; walking backwards.

     "Stiles." His eyes meet mine again. "I'm sorry. I should've told you long ago. But Claudia, she didn't -"

     I don't listen to the rest. I turn on my heal and take off. Ignoring the stares of those I ran past, ignoring the yell of my name. I ignore it all as I ran.

     When I reach the paved stone driveway that lead up to the Hale mansion, sweat was dripping down from my forehead, the long sleeves stuck to my damp skin. I barely noticed my surroundings, other than Derek and Jordan hoping out of Derek's Camero and shutting the doors behind them.

     Bolting past them and throwing open the front door.

     "Mom!" I yell out as soon as I enter the foyer, throwing my bag to the marbled floor as I walk further into the house.

     I haven't spoken to her since that night I had missed her engagement announcement. When she had slapped me, twice. "Mom!" I yell again.

     "What, Stiles? What?" She came down from the stairs. Her white and golden long dress flowed behind her; her dark brown hair was held up.

     Before she could make it off the bottom step. I fire at her: "Tell me it's not true."

     At the corner of my eye I could see Derek and Jordan enter through the front door.

     Her face turns from what looked like concern to a look of confusion.

     "Tell you what isn't true?"

     "What Dad told me. Tell me he is that. Tell me he's my dad."

     I watch as her face changes expressions fast. But what it ended on was . . . anger. She lets out a exaggerated sigh, slumping her shoulders. "He wasn't supposed to tell you that." Shaking her head. "Asshole." She muttered.

     The vacuum had now been set to full suction. I could feel as my chest rose and feel in large quantities. The first and only words that could escape from my mouth were: "Who - who is he?" A humourless laugh then comes from my mouth. "Who is my father then. If it isn't dad."

     Claudia's head snapped back to look at me. "Now isn't the right-"

     "TELL ME WHO!" My voice broke midway through my scream. The loudest I have ever been. The words I had just yelled out to her echoed around the large foyer.

     Claudia looked taken back. As if she didn't expect that from me.

     Biting her bottom lip, she turned her head to the side for a few moments, before turning it back to face me. A different expression now on her face. An annoyed expression. A fucking annoyed expression! "Deucalion Emery. Your biological father is Deucalion Emery. Okay? Can you drop it now." All spoken as if I was the problem. Like I had just ruined her day.

     Deucalion Emery . . .

     "The fucking actor?" That he was. But he wasn't just any actor. He was an A list actor. Right up there with Leonardo DiCaprio and Angelina Jolie.

     "Don't you swear at me, Stiles. I'm your moth-"

     "Un-fucking-believable. Not only did you already cheat on Scott's Dad with . . . Dad. But you cheated on dad twice! TWICE! I don't give it much time, before or after your marriage to Robert Hale. You'll eventually cheat on him, you horrible cheating bitch!"

     Her expression changed yet again, this time to anger. She starts moving towards me. But before I could react, before she could reach me, Derek steps forward and blocks her from me; his back facing me.

     From what I could tell from where I stood, with Derek in front of me, Claudia had stopped in her tracks. "Claudia." Robert spoke from atop the stairs. But I didn't turn to look up at him. I instead turn on my heal and head through the door.

     How my feet were earlier today, my arms were moving before my brain. Reaching behind me I pull my school vest over my head and throw it to the ground beside me. I do the same with my tie; unbuttoning the top two buttons of my white shirt.

     Hearing two sets of footsteps behind me. Knowing who they were. My legs decide to take me to Derek's Camero. Opening the door, and pulling the seat forward, and fall back into the backseat; throwing my head back into the leather.

     Derek and Jordan came in moments later; Derek in the driver's seat. They don't say a word. Though as Derek pulls out from the driveway I catch his eyes in the rearview mirror. Watching me.


	6. Chapter Six

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**

 

 

 

With my back perched up against the light creamed walls, the soft mattress underneath where I sat.

     I silently listened as Jordan flirted with Lydia like it was his last day of his life.

     I don't know why I told Derek to drive to Lydia's when he asked me upon driving down the road; driving away from my Mom.

     Lydia had only just pulled in when we did.

     Her eyes widened when they landed on who I was with. Lydia didn't know the extent on how it was with my mom - Scott knew most of it; none knew about my arm besides Theo, Kira, and Derek and Jordan.

     But upon seeing my face, the questioning look she wore turned.

     I didn't want to happen. I didn't want my best friend to end up like one of those girls. But I just couldn't bring myself to stop it.

     I'm a terrible friend. I tell myself.

     My eyes hadn't moved from where they had first landed on; staring deep at dark wood of Lydia's TV stand.

     It wasn't until a hand holding a glass of water was suddenly in my face.

     Breaking the deep stare I had with the TV stand.

     Derek stood there, his hand stretched out holding the glass for me to take. An expressionless face etched on his face.

     I take the glass from his hand, ignoring it when my fingers touched his. Taking a sip of the water, it's then I realise how rough my throat was from yelling. "Thanks." I say.

     "No problem." Derek responds, and then surprises me when he takes place on the bed next to me. Sitting with his back to the wall like how mine was.

     I don't get it . . . why was he being nice? This isn't the first time he has been nice to me either. There was earlier before when he shielded me from when Claudia was about to come at me. When he made me the sandwich. Offering me a ride to school . . . Why?

     "Why are you nice to me?" I let my mind voice what I was thinking.

     For the next minute or so the only noise that filled the room was Jordan's voice; flirting with Lydia. A small, surprising laugh then came from Lydia.

     "You don't care." Derek finally says in a tone that only I could hear, breaking the silence. "A lot of people all but throw themselves at me and Jordan. Wanting to be around us; want to be seen with us. But you? You're different. You didn't try. You kept us a secret when anyone else would've milked that dry. You don't care."

     "Is that a good thing?"

     "Yes . . . and no."

     I fall silent then. I didn't care. He was right. I never cared about them or their popularity before Claudia met Robert Hale. And I didn't care now. I didn't care about them then. I just didn't know if I did now.

     Looking back to the TV stand; my eyes ghosting across the surface. That's when I notice something I hadn't when I first came into Lydia's room.

     On the far edge of the TV stand there was a DVD case.

     The World of Gods.

     The movie was one of my favourites. Giant Gods rising up from the ground and wanting to wipe out humanity. The face on the cover stared back at me.

     The face of Deucalion Emery.

     My biological father.

     I could feel as my breathing became shallow. Derek must've seen what I was looking at because an elbow was then jabbed at my side. Causing my attention to be changed from the DVD cover to Derek.

     "Jordan." Derek says.

     Jordan, who had been leaning against the doorframe; speaking with Lydia who sat at her desk, turns towards his brother. The wide smile on his was beaming bright. "Yeah?"

     "Phoenix Hills?"

     Like how his smile had been, Jordan's eyes widen at the mention of Phoenix Hills.

     "Hell yes!" Jordan exclaims. Pulling his phone out instantly and begun typing.

     Phoenix Hills, named for how the sun hit the hills and bathed the area in a fiery orange glow, was an hour or so from Beacon Hills. A place where tons of celebrities and rich people have homes. It wasn't all that surprising that they had a house there.

     Derek turned back to face me again. And for the second time since I had moved in with them, he smiled. It was small. But this time it wasn't for his sister he was talking about. It was me. Though I do think it was more about getting away than for me...

     "We're getting away for a little bit."  
  
  


After Derek had mentioned Phoenix Hills everything had happened very fast.

     Jordan had been on his phone non stop.

     Typing and calling.

     The only time he had taken the phone away from his ear was when he had told Lydia to pack her things for a weekend and then leant forward and kissed Lydia on the cheek. Which had caused a shocked expression on her face.

     By the time I realised we were heading back towards the Hale mansion we were pulling up into the driveway. Seeing, thankfully Claudia's new car was gone. I wasn't ready to speak to her yet.

     Sitting on the couch in my room, my schoolbag between my legs. I shove the handful of long sleeved shirts, jeans, and boxers I had pulled from my drawers into the bag. I had just finished shoving the last of my clothes into my bag when the door to my room opened.

     Derek walked into my room and started towards me, until he sat down next to me on the cough. He'd changed from what he'd been wearing earlier in the day.

     Now in a light grey tank that hugged his body, with an extra large sized green plaid over the tank; hanging from his shoulders.

     The silver pendant hanging from his neck moved as he walked over.

     "Have you got everything packed up?" Derek asks from where he sat next to me.

     "Yep. I have everything I'll need." I only then realise my major mistake. The long sleeved plaid was next to me on the seat. Leaving me in a dark blue tee.

     My eyes fall down. Instead of looking to my right arm instantly, I look down to my left. To confirm that my arms were showing. But right when I confirmed it; before I could hide my right arm, Derek's hand was on my right arm.

     The shaking I would usually feel; the shame and embarrassment I would feel whenever someone would feel or touch my scars never came. As Derek ran the pad of his thumb along the ugly, jagged scars, it felt . . .

     I don't know what it felt like.

     "Where'd these come from?" Derek asks, running his thumb along the largest and ugliest of the scars.

     "It doesn't matter." I then pull my arm from his hold and drop his gaze down, away from Derek.

     "It does."

     Derek's words leave his mouth the moment Jordan's shout echoed through the hallway.

     "Derek!" Two seconds after shouting his name, Jordan was at my doorway. His black lacrosse bag was thrown over his shoulder. While his phone was in the other. "You two ready to par-tay?"

     "Party?" I question. Standing up from the lounge. Thanking him mentally that I could now avoid Derek's questions. "I thought it was just us and maybe Lydia if she can go going to Phoenix Hills?"

     "Well yeah . . . with thirty or so other people." I follow Jordan down the stairs, my bag shouldered; Derek behind me with his own lacrosse bag filled with what I assume was clothes. When we walk outside and reach Derek's Camero.

     "Hey!" Jordan suddenly turns on me with a wide smile. "Call Angel . . . in fact, how about I call her." The smile turned into a smirk.

     Opening the door, throwing my bag into the backseat, I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial Lydia myself.

     "Hey." I say once she answers her phone.

     But I could only get a few words in; asking if she was allowed to come, before she interrupted me by saying she was allowed to come. That she was ready right now.

     Thirty minutes later, about ten minutes outside of Beacon Hills, I stand with Lydia by Derek's Camero. Derek and Jordan were ahead. Greeting their friends as they pulled into the service station.

     "How was Scott today?" Lydia asks from where she stood next to me.

     "Quiet."

     Even over the sound of voices, music, and engines, I could hear her sigh. "How are you?"

     "I'm fine." I answer automatically.

     "Stiles." Lydia speaks in a more forceful tone. "I saw your face when you came to my house . . . with the Hales. With all your talk about not wanting anyone to know your new relation with the Hales, you don't seem to really care about that right now; riding with them to spend the weekend with them at Phoenix Hills. So no, Stiles. You're not fine."

     Letting out a sigh myself, I throw my head back against the Camero.

     This is Lydia. I tell myself. She could always see through mine and anyone's shit.

     "I just . . . I can't think about it right now... It doesn't matter. I'll tell you later, okay?"

     "Fine." That topic of conversation thankfully dies when she mutters that final word.

     Looking back to where more cars were driving into the service station. So many were here now, half were grouped up in their own circles; close to Derek and Jordan. While the other half were in their cars.

     It's then, while looking around, I see that Jordan was staring over at us . . . No. Not us. His eyes were trained on Lydia. Even as numerous girls - girls in tight clothing, who most guys jump at the opportunity to sleep with - Jordan didn't move his eyes off of Lydia.

     Turning back to face Lydia. Earlier today . . . "What's up with you and Jordan. I thought . . ." I stop mid sentence as I watch her roll her eyes upwards with a 'pfft' coming from her. But does something very un-Lydia-like and drops her head down and turns away from me.

     Like she was hiding her face from me...   
  
  


It was an hour later - an hour sitting in Derek's Camero, listening to Jordan endlessly flirt with Lydia and catching Derek's eyes in the rearview mirror - before we arrived to Phoenix Hills.

     The houses that were built in the mountains and trees got bigger and bigger. Not as ridiculously large as the Hale mansion, but they were large. The largest of houses sat around a large lake, and of course one of them belonged to the Hale's.

     Coming up from the other side of the lake; seeing the back of the house. I could see how large the place was. Most of the walls were log and stone with large tinted windows. A large stretch of green and trees separated the log mansion and the lake.

      I had barely gotten inside the doors, looking around the large entrance with log walls and stone floors; with numerous lounges and chairs scattered around the room, before the thumping music began.

     "Jesus. We haven't even dropped out bags off yet." I mutter to myself. The others who Jordan had invited hadn't even arrived yet . . .

     The mutter I had thought only I could hear was apparently louder that I thought. Because a light laugh came from beside me before her voice came after it. "I'm going to go drop my bag off in my room. Jordan told me in was on the third level..." Lydia notices the look I give as my head jerks towards her. Because she punches me in the arm. "I'm not that type of girl, Stiles. We've been through this. I will punch you again if you think it again. And I will keep punching you until you tell me what's up with you."

     "Sorry." I say with the smallest smile I could give.

     "Yeah, you better be." Lydia says with a narrowing eye and a smile. She starts forward before turning back again to face me. "We'll find each other later? I think someone I know from Beacon Hills High is here."

     "You know people from Beacon Hills High?"

     "Mhmm." She nodded before walking off towards the stairs - stone steps with log railings that rapped around a large stone fireplace.

     Why am I just standing here? I think to myself. Lydia must've thought the same because as she walked up the stairs, she turned back to me with a frown.

     Pulling my bag further up my shoulder I begin to move forward when Derek comes up beside me. Stopping me.

     "I'll show you where you can dump your bag."

     Not saying anything; my hand automatically coming to hold my right arm, I follow Derek past the stone stairs and fireplace, towards a door.

     Before I could reach the door; following Derek. The weight of numerous eyes hit me.

     Those who were already here, gathering around the lounges look towards me. Well . . . they were looking at Derek but as I was following him close behind their stares had been redirected towards me. Showing me just why I didn't want anyone to know my new relationship with the Hale brothers. They were glaring at me with such heat in their eyes.

     You don't care. I remind myself. Walking in through the doorway behind Derek.

     We walked down a hallway in silence. Walking until we reach another door that opened up to a carpeted staircase.

     "See Raeken today?" Derek asks in front of me as we walk down the L shaped stairs.

     "Yeah."

     "Was he mad?"

     "Yeah." I repeat as I step off the final step and into a rumpus looking room. "I think he knew it was you and Jordan who trashed his truck . . . though I think the large HALE gave it away."

     A deep chuckle came from him. "I think most of his anger is leftover from when I made him cry on the field last year."

     Surprising myself as a laugh came from me. "I remember that. He was so . . . so -" letting out another laugh. "butt hurt about it for weeks." Smiling, laughing, at the moment I didn't register it was happening. But it felt . . . nice.

     Apparently I wasn't the only one to notice, because Derek was staring at me. Staring at me . . . with a small smile.

     "What?"

     "It's just this is the first time I've seen you smile and laugh."

     Again, I was back to thinking why he was being nice to me. To me . . . I've had only six people in my life who I thought cared enough for me. Four were already wiped from that list. Don't see why anyone would want to be added to it.

     Looking away from Derek, wanting to get away from my questioning mind, I look around the room. The room that stepped off from the stairs was a large square shape. A large stone fireplace was on my right, with a lounge and three chairs in front of it. A door that looked like it led into a bathroom was on my left, and up two steps was a bed. Singular. Bed.

     This place was large. Too large just for me.

     "This is where I'm sleeping?" I question.

     "This is my room." Derek responds with.

     My head turns back towards him. My brow frowning as the questions flood into my mind. Why was I in his room? I haven't even seen his room back home. Home . . . Derek then started to move forward, slowly. Until he was close. Close like the night I'd first moved into the house.

     "Derek?" It was all that came out of my mouth; in a small voice. It was all that came from my mouth before his hand had come up to the side of my face; before his face was an inch away. Before his lips took ahold of my own lips.


	7. Chapter Seven

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**   
  
  


 

 

The fire of desire was blazing inside of me. Just one kiss and I could feel everything burn away.

     Cliché sounding, yes. But even with my mind yelling at me; the last remaining thoughts that hadn't been burned away by the desire, my body wouldn't move.

     Pulling his mouth away from mine, so that our lips were parted an inch away from one another. Derek did what Derek did best. He stared at me. He stared at me for a very long minute.

     The stare was not broken even when his hands had dropped down from my face, down to my shoulders; pushing my plaid shirt off my shoulders, until I was standing there in my tee; my arm revealed.

     I try to hide the scarred arm behind my back. But before I could Derek grabs my arm; his thumb against the scars. "No." Derek whispers, his thumb grazing along the scars. "Don't hide."

     Like a volcano, the flaming desire inside of me exploded.

     Suddenly I wanted more. Forcing my hands to move, I bring them to his light grey tank and curl my hands into his chest. I needed more.

     It was my hips that started it. But within seconds it was both of ours. Both moving together, against one another. Our lips were once again pressed against each other. This time the kiss was rough and hungry.

     When I felt as Derek's tongue enter my mouth, I let all that I was feeling take over.

     Pushing the green plaid off his shoulders, and pulling the grey tank over his head; stopping the kiss; Derek removing my own shirt, his arms wrap around my waist and walk us to the bed.

     Our glazes held strong as the sounds of belts unbuckling, zips being lowered echoed around the room.

     Rustling and caps being opened then came, before the cold press of fingers were at my entrance.

     His head had bent down to my shoulder, bathing my skin in kisses; up to my neck and back down again to my shoulder bone, as his finger slipped into me.

     Gasps were leaving my mouth as more fingers were added. When Derek's fingers left me, the sound of ripping came. My eyes lower to watch as Derek pulled the condom down onto his cock and guide it until it pressed against my entrance.

     Looking down at me, as if he was waiting for a response, I nod my head; breathing hard.

     It was slow at first, Derek had dropped down to his elbows so that his face was mere inches away from my own.

     But as it went on, it became faster. All the while he watched me as his thrusts became harder. His body rubbing against my own.

     The room was filled with the sounds of out bodies slapping together; the guttural groans from both me and Derek; the music and voices from outside; and the exclaims of climax from both of us when they were reached.  
  
  


When my eyes open next the sky outside was dark, but music and voices had only gotten louder.

     On my side, I look around my surroundings I notice them. The two used condoms discarded on the floor beside the bed.

     What happened . . . What just happened . . . what did we just do? The questioning rush of thoughts slammed into my like a tidal wave.

     I start to sit up, but the arm that was wrapped around me, the arm I hadn't noticed until now, pulled tight against me.

     "Where are you going?" The deep voice coming from behind me asks; leaning forward and kisses my shoulder.

     Forcing myself out from his hold and away from his bed, I immediately start to look for my clothes.

     "I - I have to go. Before anyone sees."

     "Why?" Derek asks, sitting up from where he laid, trying to reach forward and pull me back to the bed.

     "Why?" I repeat Derek's question. Pulling on my tee and long sleeved plaid; pulling down the sleeves, feeling the bumps of his scars. Warmth spread through me at the memory of Derek touching the hideous things. "I'm your stepbrother. I'm your stepbrother and I'm sleeping with you . . ." Buckling up the belt on my jeans. "You know what people will think of me now?" I surprise myself by saying.

     A look then crosses over Derek's face, but I don't stand there to wait for any words to come from him.

     I turn my heel and rush out through the door, up the stairs, through the crowds of people, until I am outside.

     I don't stop once I'm outside. Weaving myself through the many drunken crowds, past the ones that were grinding against each other to the music, I make it towards the dense trees. Rounding the tree so that I was out of sight from the party, I back up against the tree and just breathe.

     It had barely been a minute before I heard my name being called from my side.

     I think it it's him; I think it's Derek. The thoughts then come crashing back into me. There's something wrong with me . . . well, I already knew that. Why else would no one care about me. There's something else wrong with me . . .

     But when the voice came to view, it wasn't Derek.

     "What the fuck are you doing here?" I ask, frowning deep at him.

     Theo stands there, dressed in a long sleeved denim shirt and dark camo pants. "I may hate the overrated fucks, but if you're important, like me, you go to a Hale party. Especially in Phoenix Hills." He then comes in closer.

     "What do you want, Theo?" I spit out.

     Leaning up against the trunk of the tree, I have no where to go when Theo comes in quick and crowds me against the tree. "There's a lot I want right now. A new truck. The feeling of Kira's tight pussy around my cock. But there's one thing I can have right now."

     "Fuck off, Theo." The mention of Kira setting my hatred for him ablaze.

     There's more I want to say; more that I'm going to say, but the words never get a chance to leave my mouth. Theo comes forward in a fast move, until his body is pressed against my own.

     The fight in me was just about to be released; to shove him back, when Theo's hand drops down to my groin and grasps my cock through my jeans. Theo's face comes into my neck right when the shocked mixed with anger gasp comes from me; sucking the skin.

     I try to push Theo off but his muscled body was too heavy against my own. "Theo-" I try to groan out.

     Biting at the skin that he was sucking on, "You're hard, Stiles." Feeling the rough the movements against my groin, I realise he was right. I was . . . "Your cock remembers me; remembers who gives him the best pleasure."

     Grasping his denim shirt, I clench the rough fabric tight in my hands. Throwing my head back hard against the trunk, I clench my eyes shut. I can't push him off and Theo wouldn't listen.

     I let it happen.

     I let Theo grind his hips against my side as he hand roughly jerks my cock through my jeans. I let Theo suck and bite at the skin of my neck. I let it all happen until I felt my climax.

     Opening my eyes then, Theo takes my lips in a rough kiss, biting down on my bottom lip. When he lets go of my lips, Theo starts to walk backwards. A growing smug smirk was plastered across his face; winking at me and then turns away and walks into the crowd.

     It's then I drop down to the floor, with the tree against my back. It's then that I just . . . I just let it out. For so long I hadn't cared enough to cry about my life. Because what was the point? Crying wouldn't make anyone care about me. It wouldn't change anything.

     But right now, I let the warm tears fall. Somehow, while I had sat there, I had brought my right arm to my knees; the sleeve pushed up to my elbow.

     You deserve them, you know? I tell myself. No one will ever care about you. You're good for a release; good for a warm hole. Theo's words that he once told me echoed back to me.  _No one wants you. No one cares about you. Not even your own mother . . . I hate you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter unfortunately, and I know the Stiles and Derek scene was short. But I promise next time it'll be longer :)


	8. Chapter Eight

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing**   
  
  


 

 

When I open my eyes next, I realise that I had fallen asleep against the tree. A dull purple like haze was bathed across the trees and myself, with the added chilliness in the air.

   My eyes hung heavy with sleep, and a spasm of pain radiated from my back from an uncomfortable sleep.

   I start the walk back to the log mansion, stepping past the discarded red cups and drunken bodies. I walk up the steps, full open the door to the wet room, and was met with voices speaking in mid conversation.

   "You're surprised I can cook?" Jordan's voice comes from ahead of me; from the kitchen.

   "I'm surprised you know how to turn on the microwave, rich boy. Let alone cook an actual meal." Lydia's voice then speaks.

   "There's a lot you don't know about me, Angel." Walking from tiles to hardwood floor, I walk into the kitchen. Still being quite tired, everything was still in a slight fuzz.

   Jordan must see me first, because explains loud - too loud for anyone to be before the morning sun had risen. "Brother-to-be!" Moans then come from those that are passed out near by.

   Lydia, who had her back to me, turned on the stool she was seated at and looked at me. She was most likely about to greet me like Jordan, but a questioning look is quick to be painted on her face. "Where'd you sleep last night?"

   Rubbing my eye with the back of my wrist, I answer Lydia without looking towards her. "I accidentally fell asleep outside. I'm going to go rest for a bit." I then start to walk out of the room.

   I'm expecting it. I'm expecting the question to come from Lydia; asking if I was okay. But surprisingly it comes from Jordan; asking if I was okay. With the added "bro" at the end of it. I hid the irritation of hearing the "bro" and said that I was fine.

   "You know, Angel. Every great couple has a ship name. Wonder what ours would be..." I hear Jordan say as I was leaving the room.

   "We're not a couple, Hale." Lydia retorts.

   "Yet." Jordan responds back.

   Thankfully, in the next room over, there's an empty recliner sitting in the corner of the room. Making my way over towards it, I flop down onto it. I then shut my eyes and let the heaviness take me away. When I wake next it's well into the day; the sun was bright and shinning in through the windows.

   Pushing up from where I lounged, the first thing I notice is that there are fewer bodies than there were when I fell asleep. Like everyone had started to leave already. The heaviness of the thoughts and what happened yesterday still weighed down atop of me.

   The second thing I notice, when standing from the recliner, is Derek through the glass of the sliding door. With his back to me, he stood there on the balcony. Derek wasn't alone out there.

   Standing close to Derek, real close to just be considered friends, a girl stood with him. With short dark brown hair that came to her shoulders, wearing a dark leather jacket and black leggings.

   His girlfriend? . . . the question came to me. Whoever she was she is close to him.

   Watching as they turned their heads turned to each other, talking, even laughing . . .

   No one cares at all about me. Of course he would've just used me for sex. It's all that I'm good for, right? No one cares or wants more. Feeling grimy, I let out a deep, hollow sigh and head towards the stairs that led down to Derek's room; where my things were.

   Walking into the room, finding that my bag was now against the wall, I grab what I need and walk into the bathroom. I don't pay attention to my surroundings, I grab a towel and drop both my clothes and the towel beside the shower.

   Washing my body, my face, my hair, and my arms; ignoring the feeling of my right. I then step out, dry off, and change into clean clothes. A thin green tee hoodie, and a pair of beige slim pants.

   Throwing the wet towel over the side of the shower - not seeing a hamper anywhere, I then grab my dirty clothes and walk out back into the bedroom. Coming face to face with Derek.

   For a very long minute we just stare at each other; Derek fiddling with his phone in his hands. He is the one who breaks the silence.

   "Can you call your Mom?" Derek asks, extending out his hand that held his phone. "She's blowing up my phone. Saying that we kidnapped you."

   Taking the phone from Derek's hand, I press my Mom's number on screen as Derek walks off, to stand off to the side.

   "Mom..." I say once the call is answered.

   "Stiles!" Claudia exclaims. "You're okay. I've been so worried. Where are you?"

   "Phoenix Hills. They have a house up here."

   For a few secrets nothing was said between them. The only sounds coming from her end were the slight sounds of voices murmuring.

   When Claudia does break the silence, her voice had taken on a harder tone.

   "I want you to come home immediately. I'm still upset about the things you said to me, Stiles. I'm your mother and I deserve respect. When you come home I would like for you to apologise to me."

   "Are you fucking kidding me, Claudia?"

   "I don't know where this bad attitude has come from, Stiles. But you need to snap out of it and show the woman who gave birth to you some respect-"

   "Bad attitude." I mimic Claudia's words. "That's what I am. Bad. I'm the bad one in this family. I'm the one who married Rafael, had a son, and then abandoned them for Nosh, cheated on Nosh and had another son with another man, and then left Noah for Robert. Yes, Mom. I'm the bad one here."

   I hear as Claudia takes in a sharp breath; ignoring the feel of Derek's eyes on me. I can tell that she's about to continue with what she was saying, so I speak before she could. "I'm fine, Mom. Okay? I'll be back later." I then end the call.

   Derek then walks back over and I hand his phone back over. Then he asks the question that I loathe. "Are you okay?"

   Not answering his question, I divert my eyes. And for whatever reason I decide to tell Derek, in a quiet voice: "Saw your girlfriend with you before."

   Although I wasn't staring at Derek directly, I could still feel his hard stare and his frowned features.

   "Girlfriend? What girlfriend?"

   Letting out a sigh through my nose, I turn to look at Derek. "The girl you were with just before; short dark hair, long legs . . ." Derek's head starts to shake, but I continue. "Look, it's fine. I get it. Really, I do. We had a good time. It's nothing more, I understand. Can you, just please, don't say anything-"

   "Stiles!" Derek interrupts me before I could I finish my piece; wearing what looks like the beginning of an amused grin. "The girlfriend I was with? That was Malia. You know, Jordan's sister. My sister. She's come down to see Dad. Phenix Hills is on the way, so she came here to see us first."

   "Oh . . ." I say quietly. Gnawing at the corner of my cheek with my teeth; "I'm sorry."

   Derek doesn't stop looking at me, because that's what Derek does best. For what seems like a good whole minute, Derek just stared at me intently. I begin to open my mouth, but I had no idea what I was going to say. My mind was racing a mile a minute. But Derek had other plans . . .

   "You don't care about anything." Derek states. "You don't care about anything because you think no one else cares about you."

   I just stare at him. I could feel that my mouth was slightly held open. His words had surprised me. They surprised me because of right they were. Instead of saying that, I merely shrug my shoulders. "No one does..."

   Again, Derek shakes his head. "You're wrong, Stiles. There are those who care. Your friend, Lydia. She cares. Jordan, who's way too excited to have you as a brother - something I should take offence to - cares . . . I care, alright? I care. Because I like you, Stiles."

   I'll spare you from me listing the clichéd feelings and thoughts that were flooding through my mind. No. That's just an excuse. I honestly didn't know what I felt upon hearing his words.

   For so long. For so very long I thought I was, well, alone.

   If my own mother didn't care about me then why would anyone else?

   "You care about me?" I ask. Derek's hand then reaches outward and lands on my hip. "You like me?" It wasn't really a stupid question. Theo had played me and used me for sex for almost three years.

   "Yes, Stiles." Derek says, coming in close and pressing himself against me. His other hand raises upwards and cups the side of my face. "I do like you." Derek started to lean his head towards me when the door to Derek's bedroom is thrown open and Jordan bursts in.

   Both our heads turning to face Jordan, who had his mouth halfway between hanging open and smiling widely. "Finally! I knew this was going to happen. I totally knew it!"

   Derek moves on Jordan fast, tackling him. With Jordan in a headlock, Derek hissed, "Shut up and don't say anything about it."

   Laughing and pushing Derek off of him, Jordan says he won't tell anyone; adding again that he knew it was going to happen. "Everyone's packing up and leaving early. It's too cold." Jordan goes on to say. "Bitches."

 

Malia Hale.

   She was the same age as Jordan; twins, but she could be the exact clone of Derek. Not in looks, but just . . . how she is.

   Being under the weight of her dark brown eyes . . . the feeling of intimidation was all too familiar from the feeling I had received from Derek's green.

   It was almost like she was a mixture of both Derek and Jordan. She had stared at me with a heavy - intimidating stare, like Derek. But had smiled bright, like Jordan.

   The words she first spoke to me were, "You're step-mommy's son, huh? . . . you're cute."

   But our interaction was cut short when Lydia walked into the room, tying her hair up into a loose bun.

   "You are gorgeous." Malia exclaims, moving quick and looping her arm through Lydia's - who had a mixture of an expression: shocked, surprised, with the hint of a growing smile. "I'm actually considering switching teams right now. Holy shit." Malia starts to pull Lydia towards the living room.

   "Mal, no!" Jordan says from where he sat at the kitchen island. "She's my Angel."

   Lydia's head snaps around to shoot Jordan a glare over her shoulder as her and Malia walk out of the room.

   We were the last ones to leave the cabin; throwing our bags in the trunk of Derek's car. Unhappy grumbles came from Jordan from time to time. Irritated that no one wanted to stay because of the cold.

   Jordan's irritation only grew when Malia suggested that Lydia to drive back with her; that she'll drop her off and then head over to the Hale mansion.

   Other than that, he drive back was quiet.

   Even outside everything was quiet. The sky had become bleak; cold - grey clouds filled the sky.

   Leaves had fallen to the ground, giving the trees an almost dead - claw like look. Like quoting Game of Thrones, Winter is here. Every so often I would look up and catch Derek's eyes through the rearview mirror, but no words were spoken between us.

   "We need to practice." Jordan blurts out when Derek pulls into the long driveway of the Hale mansion. "We have that game against Devenford this week." I'm surprised Jordan didn't snap his neck by how fast he turned around in his seat to face me. "You have to go for Beacon Hills High. I don't care if you goto Deveford, you're one of us now. You're going to the game Friday night?"

   "Uh-"

   "Awesome! Make sure to wear red. If I see you wearing green . . ." Jordan drops his head, trying his best at giving me a menacing look, "well, I know where you live, Stilinski." He then jumps out of the car as it was still coming to a stop, grabs his bag and heads inside.

   I feel it before I turn and see it; Derek staring at me; a growing smile on his face. A smile that triggers my own. Even if my own was only a small inkling of a smile.

   Walking in through the door, with Derek and Malia; Derek holding both my bag and his, the first thing I see is Claudia walking into the foyer with Robert. Her eyes meet mine with a bland look.

   "Malia?" Robert says with a questioning frown. "I thought you were coming down next week."

   "Decided to come down early."

   "This is Malia?" My Mom asks, looking from Robert to Malia. "It's so wonderful to meet you. I've heard so much about you." Claudia's voice was chipper; spoken with happiness that was foreign to me.

   Seeing Robert behind my mother, I could see the smile on his face. She has spun her web well. "I must say you and your father don't share that much of a resemblance." My Mom continued.

   "I look more like my Mom." Malia flashes a lazy smile and slightly shrugs.

   Claudia's head then slightly tilts upwards. The smile that was plastered on her face falters. "Your father and I were about to head out for some lunch. Would you like to join us? You boys can come to if you want..." Her eyes slide across from Derek to me; landing on me.

   I expect it then; I ready myself for it. There's so much more I want to say . . . but . . . I don't think I can be able to say it. But I don't get the chance. "You're looking a little pale, Stiles. You need to get some sun while you still can." It was like nothing had happened. That she hadn't lied to me for all my life, that our phone call didn't happen. Like she was a different person.

   "Maybe next time." Malia speaks up, pulling Claudia's attention away from me. "Have to settle in first."

   "Oh of course, dear." Dear? Claudia then walks back to Robert, wrapping her arm around his; leaning in against him. Jordan then came down the stairs, with a bag thrown over his shoulder and holding two lacrosse sticks. "Hope to see you all," looking hard at me when she says all, "tonight during dinner."

   I didn't show for dinner.

   In fact, neither did Claudia or Robert.

   An hour before when dinner was usually served, Mom had sent me a message.

**Hi, honey. Robert and I won't be able to make it for dinner tonight. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Love you XOXO**

   I don't reply to her message. I instead take my phone over to the edge of the room, drop down until my back is against it and ring my brother.

   Derek and Jordan had stayed outside for grater part of the day. Most of it spent on practicing. They'd dragged out a portable lacrosse net from I don't know where, I could take turns; switching from goalie to shooter.

   Just when the sun had began to set, I had stepped out into the backyard; Malia following behind me. Conversation with her was easy. Very easy. Malia Hale was very laid back. The type of person that wouldn't take offence from having someone mock her, but would unleash Hell on anyone who would offend those around her.

   She never made comments on why I was so pale. Why I clutched the end of my right long sleeve. She never asked me if I was okay. The conversation was good. It was easy.

   The wind had become cold; the warmth frozen over by the cold. I liked this weather. It's when I could wear long sleeves without receiving questioning looks.

   Hours later, after night had fallen and dinner had past (a bag of plain chips and glass of Cola), I was walking towards the room that served as my bedroom when I heard my name being called.

   Looking up and to my right, I see Derek at the corner. Inclining his head with a smile; telling me to come to him. He's changed out of what he was wearing earlier; out of the clothes we had practiced in. He was now wearing a long sleeved cotton burgundy Henley; the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of baggy black sweatpants.

   Walking towards him, Derek turns on his heel and walks a few steps away; leading us both into his bedroom.

   Derek's bedroom was a lot like my own. It was large, with a bed dominating the room. The wood was dark with even darker blue sheets. Besides the bed, the other thing that dominating - called for attention in his room was the basketball hoop that hanged his bed. Orange and black basketballs were scatted around the room.

   "Why do you like me?" The question comes from me before I could stop it; before Derek could even speak.

   A frown is then set in place on his face. "I've already told you why I-"

   "I know." I interrupt. I then throw my hand outward at my side; letting out breath through my nose. I think I also let a humourless laugh too. "It's just," another sigh, "You really could do so much better." I say with honesty. It wasn't me looking for pity or a compliment. It was the truth. "I mean, my own mother doesn't care about me," not that I care what she thinks . . . "Look what she did to my -" I stop myself then and there; stopping myself from saying it. But it was too late.

   I could see in Derek's face; the cogwheels spinning into action. "What she did to your . . . your arm-"

   "Please." I gasp out, clenching my eyes shut. "Please, just stop." Memories then collided with me.

   Memories of my mother screaming into my face. Her eyes, that were identical to my own, blazed with fiery rage.

   The memory of my Mom slamming the tall glass vase onto my arm and then for good measure slam her balled fist onto the glass shards; pushing them further into my skin.

   The memory it feels all too real. But then I realise that I am moving. Opening my eyes I see that Derek had his hand gripped softly around my right arm and was pulling me towards his bed.

   Derek didn't stop pulling me until he was sitting on the mattress and I was sitting in is lap. It wasn't a position I was all too fond with, but I wasn't going to fight it.  _He's lying, you know? He doesn't care about you. If you're own mother doesn't care about you then why would anyone else. He just wants sex. That's all you're good for._

   I'm jerked away from the voice in my head when I feel Derek's finger glide up the long sleeved shirt I was wearing. Feeling his thumb graze over the jagged scars. How could he do that? I can't even touch them without hating myself...

   I couldn't speak about them, my arm, or what happened. I - I just couldn't right now. I wasn't ready. But I also didn't want to leave . . . Opening my eyes to a sliver, I notice it now. Derek's pendant hanging from the leather around his necklace.

   "What's your necklace?" I ask. Wanting to change the subject, but was also curious.

   Looking up at me, a smile brewing on his face. He takes his hand away from my right arm and brings up his other and fumbles with his pendant; opening it. "I keep them close." The pendant opened up to show three sides. Two sides had photos. One of Malia, who had long golden brown hair in the photo; smiling. The other of Jordan who had his tongue out; his face very close to camera that took the photo.

   The smile that came to me right then was genuine. This wasn't what I was expecting.

   I don't just mean the pendant. Derek, Jordan, Malia . . . it wasn't what I thought it would be. For so many years I had grown up hearing about the Hales. The two Hale brothers. Rich. Tough. Hot. Derek Hale, the mysterious one everyone would go on about; how he was so hot. Jordan Hale, who had the reputation of sleeping with all girls he came in contact with. And Malia Hale . . . Well little was known about her.

   The parties. The girls. The money. Their life. It was all so different from what everyone went on about.

   "Where'd you just go?" Derek asks, gaining my attention; amusement in his voice.

   "I was just thinking that you're not like how people say you are."

   "That so? Is that a bad thing?"

   Pressing my lips, I lightly shake my head.

   Derek responds by leaning his head in closer to me. "I'm going to kiss now, okay?"

   I don't respond right away. Not until his face is mere inches away from my own. "I don't want to . . . do anything tonight." I drop my head, speaking to my chest.

   "Hey," Derek guides my face back up to look at him with his index finger. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to do, okay?" I nod my head, telling him I understand. I then spent the night in Derek's bed. With Derek's warm body in front of mine, letting myself cuddle into him, I clutch my right hand to my chest. Never removing it until morning.  
  
  


_Do not leave school_. I had told myself that before walking in through the main doors.

   I had to make it through one day without the weight of everything causing me to leave.

   There were still stares; looking at up and down - from my arm to my face. But other than . . . nothing. The gossip about me had burned out. Now everyone was talking about the Hale party at Phoenix Hills. It doesn't matter if it only went for one day. It was all anyone could talk about.

   One thing that made the heaviness lighter was Scott smiling. Even if it was just a small smile, he still smiled. It was something I hadn't seen since Kira broke up with him.

   Kira I hadn't seen. Which was good. Out of everyone, besides Claudia, I hated her with every bone in my body. What she did to my brother . . . I just hope Scott hadn't seen her yet. Though I don't think he has. During lunch; sitting out near the oval, against the large oak, Scott seemed like he was returning - slowly returning.

   When the warning bell rang; five minutes until the end of lunch; to get your asses going and get to class, I told Scott I'd meet him after school by his car and walked off.

   But this being my life, it wasn't going to be that easy.

   Walking past where the gymnasium was; large trees littered all along side of wall, the sound of rushing footsteps came from behind me. By the time the sound had reached my ears I was being hurled backwards.

   My back thrown up against the wide trunk of the tree and a body was pressed up against my own.

   "Hi, Stiles." Theo's smirking face looked slightly up into mine.

   Memories of Theo's hand rubbing against my crotch came flooding back into me. "What do you want?" I spit out, struggling against his hold.

   Keeping me in place flawlessly, Theo leans in closer. Causing my struggles to halt. Because of the lowering temperature Theo's breath was even warmer as he spoken against my skin. "Oh, I think we can both guess what I want, Stiles." The hand that was gripped at my bicep lowered; his thumb running in circles.

   "Get the fuck off me, Theo." I then try again to move away from the tree, but again fail against Theo's strength.

   "That's not what you said to me the other night." Theo's smirk was growing large of his face now. His right hand had now dropped, ghosting along the waistband of my pants.

   "Why don't you have Kira fuck you." I spit out instead of trying to struggle against his hold. "Or the Diaz twins. Or any other hot hole. And leave me the fuck alone. Haven't you already had your fun hurt me?" I had to get ahold of myself. Breaking down like this . . . in front of Theo? . . .

   I notice then a flicker of emotion in his eyes, before saying, "It's great sex." Theo then shrugs; loosening his hold on me.

   I take the opportunity then and break from his hold. There are a bunch of choice words on the edge of my tongue, begging for a release. But the chance for a release never comes. "But none of them compare to you, Stiles." Theo says as the final bell sounds.

   Frowning deep at him, I shake my head and turn away from him.

   But none compare to you...

   What is he doing . . . stupid question. This was Theo. He's playing me, but like how he had done for almost three years. Letting out a deep, hollow sigh I contemplate whether or not it's worth to stay here or not. Fuck what I had told myself this morning.

   Feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket I pull it out on instinct and look at the screen.

**We're heading into the city after school. Wanna join?**

   The message from Derek, I type back a quick "sure"; Derek responding seconds later saying that he'll pick me up out front.

   Though there's still the strong part of me that wants to leave this place; get away from Theo and well . . . everyone. I let a sigh and walk towards class.

   Walking in after the final bell had sounded, my English teacher directing a irritated look my way. It isn't until I'm seated that I realise that Derek's coming here to pick me up. Everyone will know now. Well not know know. But they'll know I'm close with the Hale's . . . fuck.

   Like seagulls being drawn in by food, many, and yes I mean many, embarrassingly watched Derek and Jordan leaning up against Derek's Camero. Some would make it less obvious that they were staring by slowly walking and looking to their side.

   But others, like Kira, who I hadn't seen at all today until this moment. It looked like she was readying herself to take off; leaning and walking forward, only to step back.

   Pulling up my bag onto my shoulder, I eye my brother walking off in the opposite direction. I'd told him that Derek and Jordan were picking me up after school; asked if he wanted to come. Scott had declined with a smile, saying that he'll see me tomorrow. Scott, my brother that I know and love, was coming back slowly. But when I had walked out with him, the first thing he saw was Kira. Prompting him to take off towards his car.

   Right then the hushed voices of those that were embarrassingly watching the hale got louder. Malia had opened the door and stood out next to her brothers. "The Hale sister" - "She's back!" - gasp.

   I let out an exaggerated sigh. This was ridiculous. I start forward, weaving my way through the bodies. Of course I would end up coming through right next to Kira. "Oh hi there, wrist cutter."

   Closing my eyes as I walked past her, I grip the end of right long sleeve and walk towards Derek, Jordan, and Malia. Already hearing the return of the loud hushed voices.

   "Stilisnki-Hale," Jordan exclaims from where his torso was thrown over the top of Derek's Camero; standing on the passenger seat. I shoot him a glare, but Jordan just continues. "Angel here?" Jordan asks, his eyebrows lifting up.

   "Lydia had a half day today." I respond; Jordan's face feel upon hearing the words.

   "You know what, on second thought, I'll see you guys back at the house." Malia suddenly says, walking around the front of the car.

   "Where are you going?" Derek asks.

   "None of your business." Malia retorts back, throwing a smile over her shoulder and walks off in the opposite direction. Where Scott had walked off to.

   The feeling of my bag being pulled off my shoulder suddenly came. Turning my head towards the feeling, I see that Derek is sliding off my bag and then places it in the backseat of his Camero. 

   Smiling small at him, I say thanks, we says no problem. It's not until Jordan's voice comes again that I realise that Derek and I had just been staring at each other. Smiling . . . "Can we get going? I need to get there before the store closes. Fucking Beacon Hills and not having -" Jordan's voice trails off as he sits down in the passenger seat.

   Sliding into the backseat myself, I lean over to pull the seatbelt across me. I see then that the many eyes that had been watching the Hales were still trained on them - on me.

   There were two faces out of the many that stood out.

   Kira's, who had her mouth fallen open in a large O; like she couldn't believe what she just saw.

   And Theo's . . . who looked angry. No... he looked downright furious.

   Thankfully I didn't have to see their faces any longer than I already had; Derek took off seconds after he had sat down in the driver's seat.

 

 

**Author's Note: For some of the characters in this story I haven't imagined them as the cannon actors (Claudia), while the rest I have. So I thought I'd just link pictures of how I see all the characters :)**

[Claudia](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7c/e4/32/7ce43208a6a49cf41382950c2d1c720f.jpg)

[Robert](https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/ay_108118649-e1366733864813.jpg)

[Stiles](https://secure.static.tumblr.com/8d284a3bdb446e398e908227cec4358c/onrzjbc/XaRnri1kj/tumblr_static_tumblr_static_7a90tovuk6wwwo0so40gs84ck_640.jpg)

[Derek](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/7thheaven/images/7/70/MartinBrewer.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180419173325)

[Jordan](http://www.teenidols4you.com/blink/Actors/ryan_kelley/ryan-kelley-1377627892.jpg)

[Malia](http://static.tumblr.com/bb2a641c998f62ef61b864c020cdb60c/ih5rxgj/D2Bnyzgq3/tumblr_static_6len0903pyww0kk8k00k4koow.jpg)

[Lydia](http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/teen-wolf-pack/images/6/65/5x09_Lydia.png/revision/latest?cb=20160316045205)

[Scott](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/teen-wolf-pack/images/7/7b/6x15_Pressure_Test_Scott_%282%29.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170818232309)

[Rafael](https://78.media.tumblr.com/d65d33224d497b684fa50649320b0caf/tumblr_inline_ndgt97lmcE1qgaiz2.png)

[Noah](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/486962069699563521/OyZZQkWF.jpeg)

[Talia](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/teen-wolf-pack/images/c/ce/308Taliasmiling.png/revision/latest?cb=20160203223924)

[Theo](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/teen-wolf-mtv/images/c/ca/510Theo.png/revision/latest?cb=20160131091706)

[Kira](http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/teen-wolf-mtv/images/b/b9/502Kira1.png/revision/latest?cb=20150705083312)


	9. Chapter Nine

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing.**   
  
  


 

 

Spending the day in the city with Derek and Jordan . . . it was enjoyable.

     For a few hours everything had just been lifted up from my shoulders. It had to be some sort of cosmic joke that that of all people it would be the Hale brothers that could do that. That Derek Hale would actually like and care about me.

     When we had arrived in the city, Jordan had refused to us follow him as he went to the "store" he'd went on and on about during the drive there; saying that if Derek drove any slower they wouldn't get there in time before it closes.

     Jordan had caught up with us thirty or so minutes later, holding a white bag. The contents of the bag? Jordan wouldn't say.

     I had been held up in my room since we had came back. My phone had been switched off since I had left the school with Derek and Jordan; switching it back on when I had walked in through my bedroom door.

     My notifications had blown up.

     Messages from people I hardly every spoken to - or knew. Friend requests. Tweets. Shaking my head. There were missed calls from Scott, Lydia, Theo, and even one from Kira . . .

     I ignore all my notifications and calls, especially Kira's, besides Lydia, who I message, and Scott, who I ring.

     Surprisingly, since we had last spoken - which was only a few hours ago, Scott sounded better. Like the smile that had always made residence in his voice was back.

     It was almost eight o'clock at night; sitting at the desk in this room, when Derek had thrown open my door. "Jordan's going off at your Mom."

     Pushing up from where I sat, I hurried down stairs to the kitchen; following Derek's back.

     "Are you seriously trying to tell me what to do?" I hear Jordan's voice before I see him. He stood there with his chest puffed out. Both his jaw and fists were clenched tight.

     Claudia stood, a few feet away from Jordan, with an irritated look on her face. Robert was standing there too. Looking at his son. He too had an irritated look painted across his face.

     "I don't think it's appropriate for you to go out this late every night. You're staying in tonight to study. That's final."

     Jordan lets out a snort of laughter. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Seriously, Dad. Control your whore."

     "You'll watch your mouth, son." The words come from Robert's mouth, with a warning tone. Jordan doesn't look to be phased by it.

     It's then that Claudia looks up and sees us; Derek stands slightly in front of me, so that Claudia has to look over his shoulder at me. Her posture straightens immediately upon seeing me. "Sweetheart," she says, looking up to face Robert, "where is Malia?"

     Robert shrugs. "No idea."

     "She's out. She'll be back soon." Derek answers my Mom's question. Who in return looks at him blandly for a few seconds.

     "Oh, well, we shall tell her later. But since most of us are here now," her entire mood and tone had drastically changed, "I think we should make the announcement now." Claudia turns up to look at Robert, who stared down at her with a smile. "We've pushed the wedding up. We're getting married this weekend."

     Before the news could even wrap itself around my head, the ringtone from Robert's phone interrupts. Pulling it from his pocket, Robert holds it up to his ear and walks out of the room. Claudia watches as he leaves. Wearing what looks like a mix of a frown and a pout.

     Her and Robert were getting married this weekend . . . I know it should spark a reaction inside of me. But I just didn't care. "Stiles," Claudia speaks my name, earning my attention. She still had yet to bring up our conversation we had over the phone. Or yet the last verbal conversation we had. It was like it never happened. Like she hadn't told me that the man who had raised me wasn't my real Dad. "I want you to invite your brother. As I am his mother it's his duty to be there. But I don't want his father or your father to be there."

     "Which father?" I say, dryly. "Dad, or the guy who you whored yourself out for that created me?"

     A loud snicker then comes from Jordan; and a quiet one coming from Derek.

     Claudia's face went through a series of expressions; landing on frantic anger. Her livid eyes were taken away from me, to land of both Derek and Jordan.

     Her hands raised up from her sides to grasp at her hips. "I can see the true colours now. You two are not nice. You are spoilt little boys. You turned my boy against me. And for that I'm going to destroy you both."

     A loud, hyena laugh then comes from Jordan; Derek's body visibly stiffens beside me. I watch as Jordan's eyes roll and he turns on his heel, walking out of the room.

     "Where are you going?" Claudia asks him. Jordan doesn't answer. He ignores her and walks towards the front door. Slamming it shut behind him.

     Derek stands there for a few more moments before he too turns o his heel and begins to walk out of the room; back up the stairs. His hand purposely grazing along my right arm as he walks by me.

     A deep inhale of breath then comes from Claudia; her head cast downward. Watching her, I take a small step forward.

     "They'll never listen to you." I say, gaining her attention; her face coming up to look at me. "Even if you threaten them, they won't listen. You're not their mother. And you're not mine anymore." Claudia's face was taken back, like I had just physically smacked her across the face. Her mouth begins to open, but I stop her. "I do love you . . . but I hate you. I really do hate you. And I doubt that's going to change. You're lucky I'm still here . . . all you do is hurt me." I make a show of extending out my right arm. Catching her attention with it.

     I don't know where these words are coming from. They've been buried within me for so very long. It was like once I began I couldn't stop.

     "I'm so sorry, Stiles." Claudia says, her eyes trained on my right arm. As if the memories of what happened, what she did, came flooding back.

     I hold her eyes, until she looks up at me. I don't know what I'm looking for. I must know it wasn't there. Her eyes . . . just how I felt. Her eyes were empty.

     Shrugging nonchalantly, my arm falls back to my side.

     "Derek and Jordan don't care about you. They never will. But Robert? He loves you. I can see that. Just . . . focus on that relationship. Because ours is gone. Maybe someday it'll come back. Not  today, not tomorrow, or even the next year. But maybe sometime in the future. I will be at your wedding, but that's it."

     Like Derek and Jordan, I turn on my heel and begin to walk out of the room; heading back upstairs. Just as I had begun to walk up the stairs, I hear Claudia say, "I really am sorry." But I don't turn around. I keep on walking.

     It was nearing eight thirty when I walked back into my room. Derek wasn't far behind me. "You alright?" He asks in the doorframe, holding onto the frame above his head.

     I answer Derek with a half assed grin, "I'm fine . . . can we go out somewhere for a bit?" I blurt out asking.

     "Sure." Derek says, dropping his raised arms. "I'll just get my jacket." He heads off in the direction of his room.

     Grabbing my phone off from where it lay on my desk, I head out into the hallway. The sounds of Claudia's laughter could be heard from downstairs.

     Like every other time whatever had just happened didn't register with her. She just moved on. Forgetting the damage she left behind . . .

     Derek was then at my side, his hand on my shoulder, and his face suddenly in front of my own. Kissing me lightly on my lips. Distracting me from. Well, . . . from everything.  
  
  


It was Wednesday evening and I was getting ready for tonight's lacrosse game.

     I was under strict instructions made by Jordan to only wear red and white. Though the only white piece of clothing I owned was a size too small plain white tee. The thing hugged my torso and arms. Thankfully I could wear my baggy red zip-up hoodie over it.

     I had just finished zipping up my hoodie; midway up my chest, when Derek walks by my bedroom.

     Derek stopped in his tracks and locked his eyes with mine. His eyes swept across my body before he pulled his gaze away from me.

     Looking from side to side down the hallway before dropping the lacrosse bag that he had strapped across his shoulder and walking towards me.

     Hi hands grasped the sides of my face and took my lips in his own. It wasn't a soft kiss, nor was it a hard one. It was just a quick kiss, a good one. "Sorry," Derek says once his lips are off mine, wearing a grin. "Just wanted to do that before my game. I'll see you there." He says, picking his lacrosse bag back up and throwing it over his shoulder.

     Later that night, the air was crisp and cold. Whenever someone spoke their breath came out in steam. The stands of both sides with filled with colour. The Beacon Hills High side full of red and white, and the Devenford side filled with green.

     Of course one of the first faces I see, a face that sees me too, was Theo. I didn't goto school today, or the yesterday. Just to let the news of my friendship with the Hales die down.

     Avoiding Theo was an added plus. I hadn't spoken to him since Monday, when he had crowded me against the tree. When he had tried to play his games with me again.

     Not wanting to spend anymore time thinking about him, I turn towards the Beacon Hills High stands. I could feel his stare on me, and no doubtably, other stares too.

     The second recognisable face I see, standing in the stands, comes as a shock.

     Especially who he's with.

     Scott stands there, wearing a red hoodie; zipped open, and a dark red Henley shirt underneath. Scott loves lacrosse, though he can't really play it. But that's not what's surprising about this. It's that he's on Beacon Hills High side. that he's standing with Malia.

     "I didn't think I'd see you here." I say, with a small smile. Because Scott... he was smiling. And after what had happened it was good to see him smile.

     Turning to face me, his smile widening. "Hey, bro! Malia invited me and convinced me to wear the enemies colours for tonight. What are you doing here? You don't really like lacrosse."

     "Jordan invited - well, told me, to come today. I didn't know you two knew each other." I stand up next to Scott.

     "Met her the other day when she basically attacked me-"

     "I did not attack you! I said hello."

     "You randomly came up to me, leant up against my car, and told me your name. Scared the crap out of me. I label that an attack."

     Their conversation went on like that for a few more minutes. Malia really was a lot like Jordan and Derek. Jordan; she could talk with anyone and never break a smile. And Derek; she had the Hale intimidation.

     It wasn't until the game started that their conversation halted. Cheering for Beacon Hills High Cyclones was strange; watching as Derek and Jordan dominated the field. It was twenty minutes into the game when yet another surprise face makes their way towards me.

     "What are you doing here?" I question Lydia as soon as she's standing beside me.

     "What a way to greet your best friend, Stiles."  She retorts back.

     "Hey, Lydia." Malia greets, smiling wide at her. Scott too greets her with a wave and a smile.

     "See, that's how you greet someone." She poked-shoved my shoulder. I roll my eyes. "To answer your question, Jordan invited me, under the strict instructions to wear red and nothing else." Lydia then makes a show of showing her dark red coat she was wearing, but then, in a sly move, she opened it up to show that she was wearing a green blouse underneath the coat. Buttoning her coat back up, "Just to annoy him."

     I stare at her then. But her face turns away from me; to face the field. The words were on the edge of my tongue; that I didn't want Lydia to become one of those girls that jumped to spend the night with Jordan Hale.

     But being around Jordan constantly I had noticed something. There weren't any girls anymore. Not since that one night. Like he genuinely liked Lydia. Though the doubts were still there.

     When the whistle was blown to signal the end of the game, Beacon Hills High Cyclones were up by numerous points.

     The Beacon Hills High stands broke out into cheers. One of the loudest of them all being Malia. I join in with the cheers, letting my voice be drowned out by the rest of the yells and chants.

     Minutes later, down from the stands, I watch through the many moving bodies, as Jordan and Lydia speak to each other. Jordan's hair flattened by the sweat; holding his lacrosse stick over his shoulder. I could see numerous girls on the edge, almost bouncing on their feet; wanting Jordan's attention. But they weren't receiving it.

     Wide smiles on both Jordan and Lydia; Jordan's falling when Lydia opened up the top of her coat, showing him her green blouse. Jordan's smile turning into a put on death glare.

     I'm standing with Scott and Malia, though I'm not contributing to their conversation. Turning my head away from Jordan and Lydia I notice his eyes staring at me. Theo stood with other teammates, holding his stick in both hands in front of me.

      _None compare to you... -_

     "Stiles." Derek's voice breaks me away from Theo's eyes and my thoughts. Like Jordan, Derek's hair was slick with sweat. Though his lacrosse stick was absent. He vestures his head in the direction of the car park. Still feeling Theo's eyes on me, I follow behind Derek.

     The trees that separated the car park and the lacrosse field were thin but dense; the light posts that were above the cars shined towards the field. So when Derek grabbed my arm and pulled me towards one of the trees, pushing so that my back was against the tree, we became unseen to all those who're on the field.

     With his lacrosse gear still on, it was slightly awkward having Derek in front of me close. "I know I shouldn't right here," his still gloved hand comes up to rest beside my neck, "but I need to right now."

     Derek's lips slam onto mine; his teeth nipping at my bottom lip. Gripping onto the material of his lacrosse jersey, I kiss him back harder. Throwing away the concerned thoughts and worries of where we are. Who could see - what they would think; that we're step brothers.

     Derek's tongue was beginning to make its assault; poking itself on my closed lips - "Derek." A female voice spoke from behind him.

     Pulling his lips away from me and turning around to face the voice, I see who had called his voice. The woman was tall with shoulder length dark brown hair; brown eyes. A light dusting of freckles was sprinkled from cheekbone to cheekbone. It was like looking at an image of what Malia would look like in ten or twenty years...

     "Mom?" Derek questions, slightly moving in front of me.


	10. Chapter Ten

**\- inspired by the Fallen Crest book series -**

**Any and all likeness to the original series is the original authors. I own nothing**   
  
  


 

 

"What are you doing here?" Derek continues; asking his Mom.

     "I came to see my sons play lacrosse . . . but it looks like I'm too late."

     "I mean why are you here in Beacon Hills?"

     "Oh, I just have some business to work through." Derek's Mom - Talia then turns her gaze towards me. A smile on her face . . . an actual kind smile. "So," Talia speaks to me, "are you my son's boyfriend?"

     Taken back by the comment, my eyes shift from Talia's kind smile to Derek's face. "Uhm-"

     I start to answer, not knowing what I was going to say.

     Because what exactly were we?

     Derek likes me; cares about me, but all of it - after Phoenix Hills, did it make us boyfriends? Derek wasn't what I thought he would be. He's made me smile and feel . . . feel like someone actually cares about me.

     Do I like him? . . . yes.

     But we were going to be step-brothers . . .

     I don't know if it's against the law, but everyone will know that are parents are getting married very soon. People could see an issue with what we're doing; what we feel. I could tell myself that I didn't care - I was an expert at that. But even that gift would expire sooner or later.

     But before my words could continue, Jordan thankfully interrupts me. "Mom? What are you doing here?"

     I turn my head to see Jordan approach us, with Lydia walking beside him; his lacrosse bag strapped over his shoulder.

     Like Derek, he was still in gear.

     "Jesus." Talia exclaims out loud; turning my head back to face her. "I cannot just come and see my own children when I'm in town, can I?" Her voice was riddled with sarcastic humour. A lot like Jordan.

     "So," Talia Hale continues, changing the subject. Forgetting the question she'd asked me, but moving onto another seemingly worse one. "Where's this future step-brother I've heard about? Does he play on the team with you boys; is he here?"

     "He's standing right in front of you, Mom." Jordan says, gesturing towards me with his hand before throwing his lacrosse bag down to his feet.

     Talia's eyes widen slightly then. Her gaze shifting off from me, to Derek, and back on to me again.

     Jordan introduces Lydia to Talia, who directs her kind smile at Lydia. Though, her eyes would always find their way back to mine.

     Moving suddenly, Jordan reaches over behind his shoulders and begins to pull his lacrosse gear off of his body until he stands their shirtless. Throwing his gloves off into the bag.

     Keeping my eyes focused on Lydia and Jordan, rather than Talia - who I could feel the wight of her stare on me - I see as Lydia rolls her eyes at Jordan and looks up towards the sky.

     Cat calls and shouts came from various female voices as Jordan changed; pulling on a thin black zip-up hoodie and a pair of worn jeans he pulled up over his lacrosse shorts, but he payed them no intention.

     With a growing, mischievous like, grin on his face, Jordan only stared at Lydia.

     "Here," Jordan says when he finished changing; zipping up his bag and throwing it over his shoulder, taking ahold of Lydia's hand. Lydia's gaze falling down to their interlocked hands. "I gotta show you something." He then hurls her away towards the other end of the car park. Leaving just me, Derek, and Talia alone.

     Talia, then, slowly walks towards us. "Really?" She asks. Though her voice and face were without any anger or disgust.

     "Really." Derek responds back with a rough voice. His shoulders squaring; straightening his back.

     Once more, Talia's gaze then began to shift between both Derek and me. Derek, who stared back at his mother, while I dropped my focus downward to the ground. A long sounding sigh then came from Talia, as bodies began to move past us; leaving the lacrosse field.

     Talia's hand then raises upward and cups the side of Derek's face. "Whatever makes you happy, Derek." She smiles at her son for a few moments, before turning her smile towards me; holding it for a few moments before turning back to face Derek. She then lightly slaps his cheek. "Idiot." She says with a laugh in her voice. "Is you sister here" Derek nods. "I'm going to go find Malia." Talia Hale says. And with a final smile, she walks away.

     "You Mom is . . . nice." I say once Talia had walked off; when Derek had turned back around to face me.

     She really was nice . . . unlike any other mother I have ever known.

     Smiling slightly, "Me, Jordan, and Isaac are going out to celebrate. Wanna come?" Derek asks.

     Feeling the small smile tug at the corner of my mouth, I nod.

     For the next hour and a half Derek drove us around Beacon Hills; through the neighbourhoods and the hills.

     With both Derek and Jordan upfront, I'd sat with Isaac in the backseat. Conversation between us was scarce at first.

     Though after twenty minutes driving around, blasting We Are The Champions through the speakers; driving past known houses that belonged to Deveford players, conversation began to pick up.

     Jordan, throughout the drive, was uncharacteristically quiet.

     He'd been like that since he'd walked up to the car and slammed shut the door behind him.

     Since he'd come back from talking with Lydia . . .

     As soon as we drove up into the Hale mansion driveway, after dropping off Isaac, I hopped out of the car and before I'd even walked in through the front door I'd pulled out my phone and dialled Lydia's number. Needing to put my mind at ease.

     She'd answered after a few rings; just as my hand was turning the knob to my bedroom door.

     "Hey, you okay?" Lydia answers; always asking if I was okay.

     "I'm fine." I answer back. "Are you okay?"

     "I'm fine, why?" Lydia mimics my response with the added question.

     Walking over to my bed, I sit down on the edge. "Jordan was strange when he came back from talking with you. I was just wondering if something happened... did he do something?"

     "Oh." Lydia says. She's quiet for a few more moments, "Talia Hale seems nice, doesn't she?"

     "Lydia..." I don't allow her to change the subject.

     A long sounding sigh then came from her side of the call. "Did you know what the present was he was giving me?"

     "I didn't even know we brought you a present." I answer honestly. What Jordan had brought while we were in the city; what he wouldn't show. It must have been the present Lydia was talking about.

     "He brought me a necklace. A platinum angel necklace with diamond wings."

     "So . . ."

     "So?" Lydia repeats my question. "The thing probably cost more than my car." Another long sigh came from Lydia. "You know that my Mom can barely make enough to support me and Liam. Walking around with that necklace . . . it just wouldn't be right. We come from two different worlds . . . anyway, he probably has a girl in his bed right now."

     I start to open my mouth, but Lydia's voice comes again through the phone. "I have to go and pick up Liam now. I'll see you tomorrow if you come to school." Lydia then hangs up the phone.

     I could see where Lydia was coming from.

     Growing up, the Martin's were known for their money. A lot like how the Hales are. I remember because of all the times when Claudia would moan in jealousy of how rich Natalie Martin was.

     Though when Mr Martin left Natalie, Lydia, and Liam, it hit them hard.

     "What's she say?" Jordan's voice came as he moved into my room.

     "Were you standing out there listening to me this whole time?"

     Jordan just shrugs.

     Standing up from where I sat, "Do you really like her?"

     "I've already-"

     "No, Jordan. I mean really like her." I feel my brow furrow slightly; looking at him dead in the eye. "Not just some quick fuck you're going to throw away the next day. If you honestly, truly like her, then . . ." Sighing, "If you really like her then tell her . . . but if you hurt my best friend then I'll suffocate you in your sleep." I add.

     My add on threat brings a small grin to Jordan's face.

     As he starts to back out of the room, the words come from me, "I'm sure she loved the necklace." Jordan once again turns to face me. "She just . . . just talk to her, okay?" With a final smile, this time slightly wider than the one moments ago, Jordan leaves the room.

 

I stood in front of the large mirror, trying to work with the tie around my neck.

     Saturday had rolled around fast. Since the lacrosse game Wednesday night I had hardly seen anyone but Derek, Jordan, and Malia. Giving a lame excuse to school that I was ill; an excuse the school brought.

     Apart from a few "good mornings" from her, I hadn't spoken to Claudia since our last conversation.

     Though I hadn't seen them, I had spoken to Scott a lot, and Lydia quiet a few times.

     Over the past few days, leading up to today, I'd spoken to Scott quiet a bit. It was like how we were before all the shit happened with Kira; before what she and Theo had done came to light. Telling him all about Claudia and what happened between us; that our mother was getting married this weekend.

     What was surprising was that Scott didn't take much convincing to attend the wedding - not that I gave much argument on why he should attend apart from being there for me.

     He'd told me that he'd pick Lydia up on the way, who was invited along with her mother and brother. Claudia had just about invited everyone but Dad and Scott's Dad.

     Getting frustrated with my tie, I pull the thing away from my neck and throw it away. Leaving me in only a crisp white shirt; top button left undone, black jacket, and a pair of black pants. I had half assed my hair; spiking some of my hair while the rest was left flat, falling to my forehead.

     It'll do...

     A sharp intake of breath comes from my side; earning my attention.

     Derek stood in my doorway. Like me, he was dressed in a crisp white shirt and a black jacket, and pants. Though, unlike me, he had his tie around his neck. A black tie tied tight. His hair was slightly pushed to the side and had just enough product in it to look messy. He looked good . . .

     Really good.

     As if he was reading my mind, Derek voices my thoughts to me. "You look good." Derek says, pushing himself off of the door frame and walking towards me.

     Turning the corner of my mouth up; slightly smiling, I watch as he walks towards me. "So do you." I say when he's standing inches away from me.

     Staring down at me, grinning at me; white teeth showing. His hands then raise upward and grip the lapels of my jacket. Pulling me towards him and slamming his mouth on mine.

     Like the kiss Derek had slammed me with on Wednesday night, the kiss happening right now was hard, rough, and desperate. His teeth bit down on my bottom lip and sucked. Just how Derek's hands were raised and gripped tight at my lapels, my own hands raised upward.

     My right gripping his tie, feeling the hard muscle underneath. My left gripping his side.

     But just like the Wednesday night kiss, we were interrupted.

     "You two really need to learn how to close doors." Jordan says, walking in through the door, shutting it behind him. He wore a dark navy three piece suit; crisp white shirt, and a black tie. His hair was gelled back and to the side. "If you two don't learn that skill then Daddy or step-Mommy could walk past and see."

     Snorting, Derek turned away from Jordan to face me again. Pressing his lips against mine once more.

     "You guys are just so cute." Jordan says, with an exaggerated voice. Throwing his arms around us both. "You two out goals. You know what you two need? A ship name. all the great couples have one-"

     Derek throws his arms away from us, "Idiot." a laugh coming from him. "Are you ready?" Derek turns to me, asking.

     Shrugging, "Ready as I'll ever be."

     The backyard had been completely changed since I had last seen it.

     A humongous white tent had been raised up and took over almost the entire backyard; sitting on the edge of the pool. So many tables with white cloth had been place underneath the tent; so much that I couldn't count them. The trees in the backyard and around the house were decorated with lights. A large wedding arch sat in front of the tent, covered in white flowers.

     Quests had started to arrive. Dressed in fine suits and dresses in all colours.

     Derek and Jordan had gone down to the wine cellar to get their bottles to drink; so that they wouldn't be brought up for anyone else to drink. A small smile coming to me thinking about it.

     Turning on my heel, I start towards the front of the house. Knowing that Scott and Lydia would soon arrive. I was walking down the hallway that lead off from the kitchen when a voice calls out my name.

     "Stiles."

     Claudia calls to me, peeking her head through a door that was slightly ajar. Her dark brown hair had been pulled back in a series of knots; joining at a large one than hanged across her bare shoulder. She wore a strapless wedding gown with large white roses printed along the bottom.

     Her eyes dropped down across my torso, looking at me dressed in a suit. Her mouth begins to open, but I cut her off.

     "What?"

     Claudia's eyes then shoot upward, staring at me again. "Deucalion never knew you existed." The mention of Deucalion vacuums all the air that was in my lungs. "I never told him about you, and I never intended on telling you either. But Noah and you . . ." She stops, then restarts, "I spoke to him last night. I told him about you. He's coming to meet you."

**Author's Note:**

> This is a reissue of an old work of mine. I have been wanting to continue it for some time now but I thought starting it fresh would be better :)


End file.
